First Day of School

Well these pictures are posting funny so here they are. Kyle on his way to middle school, but along for the ride to drop off Keira and Kelsey. Keira got Ms. Guzzo and has not decided if she really likes kindergarten. She thinks the boys are a pain in her class and she wants to do more crafts and wants Ms. Guzzo to read aloud to the classroom more often. So I hope that she will get settled and enjoy it more. On the other hand, Kelsey got exactly who she wanted! Mr. Cannon! Kyle and Kelsey think he is really cool! He lives here is Eagle Springs and even met Kyle one afternoon to play baseball-so I think he is a pretty great teacher myself and am glad that she is so excited about 5th grade. Kyle is getting used to the routine of 6th grade. I think he is liking growing up too much. He wants to look good and do well in each class and he seems like such a little man. I don't know where the time had gone. I keep praying that he will continue to make good choices and be an example and leader among his friends.

It is hard to believe that Keira is in kindergarten. I remember wanting and waiting so long for her to come into our family. When she was born it feels like yesterday, but she was so ready for kindergarten. Like her brother in middle school she seems confident to stand on her own two feet. I only hope I have done a good enough job preparing her for the experiences she will face. Monday was a hard day for me in that it is another milestone. In three years Kyle will start high school and Kenna will start kindergarten. My time to be a parent here at home is going by faster than I ever thought it would be. I guess as I prepare for the hysterectomy on Friday I contemplate my job rating as a mom. I don't get anymore chances. I pray for them. I do my very best to prepare them spiritually and emotionally for the world that they are growing up in. It is so different from my own. When I was Kelsey's age I remember being gone from first light to dusk playing along the drainage ditch or going down to the beach or down to a friend's house. Or walking over to the shops in the village when it wasn't so huge and developed to just look around. There was a five and dime store just off of Kirby. It was safe to run around like that all day. No cell phones, nothing.

I am grateful too today for the power, pure power of the Atonement. I never really understood it's full reach-but I am beginning to see just how all encompassing the reach of the encircling arms of His love is. It heals broken hearts from all directions, it covers the pains not just physical pains of sicknesses, emotional scars, even those inflicted by others. I am just so humbled by His love for me and His hand always reaching out to me to keep going. I know that He does that for each of us. Heaven knows I am the best at forgeting His hand is there, but this summer has reminded me that I may not always be as steady as I should be He is there to steady me when feel like I am about to lose my balance and carry me onward.

As we had to say goodbye to Grandmother or "GG" and she had my kids call her last week it made me realize the long lasting effect our choices have. One choice not only changes the course of our own life, but it changes the course of may generations to come. She had 21 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren. My little ones may not remember her, but my older one will. Kyle will remember her for always being ready to talk baseball and encourage a young man. Kelsey will always remember a good strong hug and a listening ear and a cold little bottle of coke. Me, I will remember her as a woman who took this young 23 year old into her family and although in the beginning I always thought she liked Jeremy so much more as the years went on I knew that she loved me just as much. She always encouraged me to stay home and raise my kids. She worked cause she had to she would tell me. We always had lunch or dinner at Luby's together and it was always such a special time for me to get to spend it with her even if it was just the kids and I-she always did those things. I too thought she would be around forever-and although I know I will see her again-I miss her. I talked to her just a few days before she had her stroke. She always made sure to give me a compliment and tell the kids she loved them.

Life isn't always easy, but she always made me believe that if you held on you would make it through.

But now it is time to finish getting my house ready for me to be down for a little while-not like me. So I will post the next chance I get....