School Days 2012-2013

The summer flew by much too quickly for either the girls liking or my liking.  It's hard to believe that summer is over (even though it technically is not over for another month).  The girls are in 4th, 7th and 9th grade this year which I find completely unbelievable.

Just yesterday I was saying that they were 3, 6, and 9 years old and now they are double that plus a few.

Our schedule is a bit different this year.  Maddie and Destiny will leave for the bus at the same time around 7:15 and they get on about 5 minutes apart for the elementary and high school bus.

Abby's schedule remained the same as last year.  She needs to leave at 8:25 to catch the middle school bus.  We were not sure what to do with Abby.  Abby hates being alone at home and it was always fine before this year because she had Destiny at home.  Abby had the option of going to the neighbors but that had three kids getting ready to leave before 7:15 and Abby at the neighbors house which while okay, was not ideal.  Abby and the neighbor girl do well together in very, very small amounts but every day I knew would strain the relationship.  We were up to the first day of school with no answers and then.....

One of Abby's very best friends from Elementary School has a mother who is a teacher in a high school close to us and had sent her daughter for 6th grade to the middle school closest to that high school.  Her daughter didn't have a good year and so this year she switched her to Abby's middle school.  Every morning she drops her off at our house just after Destiny and Maddie leave and the two of them eat breakfast together and get ready to together and leave together.  The perfect answer to prayer.

The first few days have gone well.  Destiny was a bit nervous those first few days as she navigated around an entirely new school and one that was twice the size of her old school but she has settled in nicely and seems to be making friends and enjoying cross country with new teammates.  Abby was the one we were worried about after her year last year but she ended up in classes with friends this year and has lunch with one of her very best friends and she could not be happier.  Maddie, my go-with-the-flow child, seems to be doing just fine in 4th grade with her new teacher.

Here to another wonderful school year, 2012-2013

 Maddie, 4th grade.  Refused to dress up.  She wanted to be sporty.

 Destiny, 9th grade.  This is her "I'm terrified" look. 

 Abby, 7th grade.  My little fashion maven.

Abby and her friends from the neighborhood

Destiny

The end of fifth grade.  It hardly seems possible.   She came to us the second half of first grade and now she leaving elementary school and headed to middle school.  I shudder as I write those words.  Middle school and then high school and then .....life.   

It hasn't been an easy 4 and half years.  Some days it has been downright hard, not just for us but for her too.  Imagine leaving a life that you have grown accustomed to even if it wasn't always the best and being dropping down into a whole new world.  A world where there were high expectations to live up to and everything was new and different.  Just a tiny little girl trying to make sense of it all and wanting more than anything to be loved and belong.   But she has done it. She has become a part of our family and is interweaved in our stories and our laughter.  She has gone from being a niece and a cousin to being a sister and a daughter.   This week she brought home a school project where she described herself here is what she wrote....

DESTINY

Skinny, Athletic, Cheerful, Silly

Daughter of Kathleen and Bud

Who loves Horses, Chocolate

Who feels tired on weekedays and energetic on 

Saturdays and Sad on Sundays

Who finds happiness in soccer, best friends and horseback riding

Who needs friends, love and fun

Who fears snakes, spiders and guns

Who would like to see Ashley Tisdale in person

Parents win the lottery

Who likes to wear jeans, tank tops or shirt and sneakers

Resident of Kennesaw

Espada

I read this through tears as I saw the second line "daughter of Kathleen and Bud."  What I wanted her to feel more than anything and worried that she would never be.....our daughter.   Love doesn't always come quickly but when it does come, it is fierce and never ending.   I hope that she knows how much she is loved.   

Destiny's 1st grade picture right after she came to live with us

Destiny on her 5th grade walk.  Almost missed her in the crowd

The famous fifth grade walk at the girl's school. All of the 5th graders walk each of the halls where they have been a student.  Guaranteed to make a parent cry!

Walking away.  There is something metaphoric there.

zfr

Destiny and her fabulous 5th grade teachers.   Loved them!!!

Look how tiny she is compared to her friends

Her sad little friend who is going to a completely different middle school than everyone else

Destiny and her partner in crime Arlo

Destiny and her BFF

Surrounded by her classmates

Abby

What to say about Abby? Independent, stubborn, talkative(and that's an understatement), smart as anything, social, funny, fashion diva, soft-hearted, loving, neat and the list goes on and on. Abby has been a joy to us from the moment that they placed her in our arms. She has never been laid back, she has always gone full force and this year was no different.

She is in third grade this year. This was the year that it was supposed to get harder in school. The "pivotal" year they called it. Somehow she managed to make it look effortless. She cheered three nights a week from the beginning of school until November, went straight into a competitive cheerleading team from November until the first week of April, was involved in Brownies, was accepted into and started in the gifted program, played a spring season of soccer, had multiple sleepovers, parties and playdates and never missed an academic beat. How I wish I had her energy and her smarts. Her name means, "my father's joy" but she is definitely our joy.

It's hard to imagine that the tiny baby that they placed in my arms is now almost 9 years old and headed into the 4th grade. She is now part of the older kids in elementary school and she couldn't be more excited. This year was the year that I saw the first rumbling's of girl drama but Abby really held it to a minimum. I am thankful that for all of the faults that she may have, she is is kind-hearted child. She goes out of her way to include those less popular and always has a hello and a kind word for everyone.

Her week was filled with class parties and award ceremonies. Somehow she talked me into making two batches of cupcakes, one for her gifted class and one for her regular class so that she like Maddie could celebrate her summer birthday. She even managed to fit in a playdate and a tumbling class and a sleepover in true Abby fashion. She is excited for summer and has so many summer plans that I doubt that we will accomplish them all but then again with her energy we just might!!!

My favorite baby picture of Abby. She was around 9 months old here

Abby's first day of third grade. She looks so serious

Mighty Hoya Cheerleader

2nd place finish for Stingrays

Outstanding Academic Achievement for Third Grade

Abby and her best friend, Kinley

Abby and Mary Katherine

Abby and her beachy cupcake that we made for her birthday celebration for school

End of the School Year

The end of the school year is upon us and the girls are beyond excited.   I, am tired.  It has been a long week filled with class parties, award ceremonies, final walks, and four dozen cupcakes baked. The year seems to have flown by and at the same time taken forever.  It was a memorable year. Maddie's first year in elementary school and Destiny's last.   I tried to convince them to stay in this moment forever but they wouldn't agree.   In honor of my girls I thought I would give them each their own little post to capture the highlights of their week.   

The first day of school, August 11, 2008  

Madeline-Kindergarten

Abigail-3rd grade

Destiny-5th grade

The Last Day of School, May 22, 2009

School Photo's

5th Grade

3rd Grade

Kindergarten

Why do they all look the same size?

Zoo Phonics

Zoo Phonics is a system that many schools use in order to help children learn their letters and sounds.  Maddie has been learning an animal each day along with the corresponding sound.  When they finished all the letters last week they spent the day at the zoo.  The day didn't start out very well because Maddie had it in her mind that I was going to ride on the bus with her which wasn't possible because another parent had already asked.  She then decided that she was going to ride with me which also wasn't possible because the school wouldn't allow it.  So, I had to encourage her to get on the bus and it eventually took two volunteers to remove her very strong little hands from around my neck.  Somehow she managed to make it to the zoo on the bus while I followed in a parent carpool.  We had a lovely time dashing through the zoo looking for all of the animals that she studied about. 

Maddie and her friend Makai (they have been in class together since they were 2 years old)

Gordo Gorilla (Okay, it is really a mama and baby but the Zoo Phonics song says Gordo!!)

Panda eating (no name for him)

Kangaroo Kate

Timothy Tiger

Maddie tired, hungry, hot and C-R-A-B-B-Y!!!!!!

Maddie and friend, Meena

Maddie's Kindergarten Class

Today was the Zoo Phonics parade at her school.  Each Kindergartener got to select their favorite animal and decide on a costume.  What really happened is that each child got to select an animal and then mom and dad had to scramble to put together a costume.  Maddie chose Zeke the Zebra and so I got up at 6:00 this morning to prepare my zebra for the parade.  I think I did a pretty good job but I was put to shame by some of the costumes.  Maddie actually sang the little song along with her class which was a relief because she wouldn't participate when she first started school.  All was well until it was time for mama to leave and then once again it took two people to pry those little hands off of my waist.  I hope that when she is 16 she will remember how she never wanted to be away from my side.

My "Zeke the Zebra"

"Allie, Bubba, Catina Cat"

"Francie Fish"

"Timmy Tiger"

Maddie and her favorite teacher, Mrs. Fuchs

First Day of School

The girl's first day of school was Monday. They were so excited all weekend. We made a special shopping trip to find the "perfect" outfit to wear on Monday. Sunday night Abby couldn't go to sleep because she was so excited and happy to be returning to school. They all got up on time, got dressed cheerfully and even ate a bite of breakfast. They even consented to some front porch pictures before we left for the bus stop.

Maddie 1st day of Kindergarten 2008

Abby 1st Day of 3rd Grade 2008

Destiny 1st Day of 5th Grade 2008

My girls

The trip to the bus stop was more eventful. The van wouldn't start and so we decided to walk up to the bus stop. Abby ran on ahead of Maddie and then Maddie got her new shoes full of wet grass and by the time I caught up with her she was crying. She continued to cry as she headed up the steps of the bus for the very first time and so this is the face that I got.

Thankfully, by the time she got to school she had settled down and she let me walk her to her hallway where one of the teacher's aides met us. I teared up a little bit but not near as much as I thought I would. My baby is in Kindergarten.