An Interview with our Kinder Girl!

The time has come…

Our big girl is going to Kindergarten tomorrow. I have so many feelings about this. Please say a prayer for her as she comes to mind! :)

An Interview with our kindergarten girl… 1. How old are you? "Five and a half. I'll be six on September 21st!" 
2. What is your favorite color? "PINK, I mean Green!"
3. What is your favorite food? "Taco Salad!"
4. What is your favorite tv show? "Wild Kratts and American Ninja Warrior to honor Daddy!"
5. What is your favorite holiday? "Christmas!"
6. What is your favorite thing to do with Mama? "Snuggle!"
7. What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? "Train for American Ninja Warrior!"
8. What is your favorite thing to do with Felicity? "Play family!"
9. What is your favorite thing to do with Brandt? "Roll over race! It's about who rolls over the fastest. I always win!" 
10. What is your favorite toy? "Jack in the Box!"
11. What is your favorite outfit to wear? "The one Aunt Shannon got me!" 
12. What are you most excited about this year in kindergarten? "Recess!"
13. What are you most nervous about this year in kindergarten? "Spanish Math! I won't even know what to say!" 
14. What do you want to be when you grow up? "Football player, and I do not have a second choice!" 
15. Do you think you will get married one day? "Yes"
16. What do you think your husband will be like? "He will be strong and brave like my Daddy!" 
17. Will you have babies of your own one day? "Yes ma'am, and I will have four of them!" 
16. What will your babies' names be? "Preston, Olivia, Aiden, and McKenna!" 
18. Do you love God, and does he love you? "I do, and he does!" 
19. How do you know God loves you?  "Because he is in my heart. I will share him with my friends."   20. Are you ready for tomorrow? "Yes! I am ready and so excited! We have been talking about this forever, and it's finally here!" 

A Chapter Closes: My First Baby is Finished with Pre-K

It feels like just a little while ago that I was getting up at 4:30 am, showering, pumping, and waking my itty bitty baby at 5:30 AM to eat and dress, so that we could be in the car by 6 am and headed to Mrs. Donna's house. The only reprieve from my consistent and nagging Mommy guilt was that she was at Mrs. Donna's house where she was loved on every second of the day. When she was itty bitty, she even had her own pack 'n play in Mrs. Donna's bedroom, and when she got bigger, she had her own room for nap. God provided the perfect place for her, but, oh was it ever hard. I cried every morning for a year, and then it was off an on for two and a half more years when I dropped her off at school. Once she moved to her first "school setting" at 20 months old, she had to be peeled off of me every morning. But, you know, I'll never forget seeing her little face peeking out of the window waiting for me to walk up every afternoon. It was the highlight of my day. Every evening and weekend was quality time. My heart so longed to be with her more (thus my extreme gratefulness for the past two years of being home with my babies). Now, Avaree runs into school and cannot wait for her Tuesdays and Thursdays! I say all of that because I'm writing these books (I print my blog each year into a book.) for my babies. I want them to hear my heart. Anyway, as I was walking (with my two-year old and four-month old) into Avaree's school on her last day of Pre-K, I was just filled with so many overwhelming feelings. How could I possibly be so blessed as to even get to attend this party? How am I a Mommy to three precious kids? How did five and a half years go by so quickly? I was overcome with thankfulness. It is not lost on me that I had the privilege this last semester to be home with all three of my babies for the last time. Avaree only went to school two days a week, and we had three days a week at home together. I prayed for so long that God would give me the desires of my heart and allow me to be home with my baby, and he multiplied that times three. What a gift. From here on, things will change. Avaree will go to Kinder, and our days at home together will be less. In fact, once Kinder hits, there is no turning back. Brandon laughed at me the other day as I was crying over the fact that I only have thirteen years left with her. :) I may go back to work in some fashion, she may be at school, but I am forever grateful for this time. It has been such a tremendous gift.  Now, back to the last day of Pre-K!  Avaree dressed in her rash guard ready for her water day on her last day of school! 

 This is her on her first day of Pre-K (in August 2014) and her last day of Pre-K (in May 2015)! I cannot get over how much she has grown! She is such a big girl now! She also gained a baby brother this year! What a big year she has had! 

 When I got to her school, they had just finished their water time, and she was hanging out with her friends eating her sno-cone! This is sweet Ava Grace and Avaree Grace! Ava and Avaree are BFF (her words, ha!), and they will both be going to the Fine Arts/Dual Language Kinder next year! Two other friends from her class are going also!

 Little brother was staring down the sno-cones!

 The girls in Avaree's class!

 Working on signing everyone's picture frames!

 She loves to write her name! She's started trying to do bubble letters! ;)

 She had just changed out of her wet clothes, and I didn't know they would be giving them these hats and taking pictures, or I would have packed a cuter outfit! Oh well, the girl is the cutest! :) 

 This gave me a lump in my throat!

 Love this blue-eyed girl!

 Her sis was so proud to be there too!

 Daddy got to come!!! I tried to take a picture of us, but my boys didn't want to smile! ;)

 Sweet picture frames!

 Daddy, Avaree, and sister posing by the "2015" decor! :)

 Avaree, brother, and Mama!

 Brother doing his Paw Paw move! My Paw Paw always put his hand on the back of his head like that. 

 Big girl enjoying her party!

 Be still my heart!

 I love this picture! You can just see the love on these amazing teacher's faces for our girl! 

 The amazing Mrs. Mays, Avaree, and Mrs. Buzcko, the best Pre-K teachers ever!

 Little sis enjoyed reading all of the books in the room! 

…and our big girl, full of promise and possibilities, ready to take on the world of "big school!"

My heart's desire is for Avaree to always love school as much as she does now. I hope for her to be a light in the dark. I pray that she will be loving and kind, so that everyone she meets will know that she loves Jesus! There is no doubt in my mind that this girl will change the world for the better!  We love you, Ave! We couldn't be more proud of you! 

Avaree's Christmas Party at School

I LOVED getting to go to Avaree's Christmas party at school! She was so proud of her classroom, her teachers, and her friends, and she LOVED introducing Mommy and "sissy" to all of her friends. She proudly told one of her little friends, "This is my sis!" :) I cried through the first part of it because I was just so happy to be there. I have never been able to go to any of her parties because I was always working. I felt so blessed that I was able to be there! :) 

This is our little tree before we left for Ave's party! :) I love it--even without ornaments! ;)

 Felicity loves the camera! :) She starts smiling every time she sees it! 

 When we got there, the party was just starting, and Avaree immediately took my hand and wanted me to watch her play the bing bag toss! :)

 This is Ave with one of her sweet teachers, Mrs. Huckaby! 

 Eating her carrots! :)

 …and this is sweet Mrs. Flenniken! We love her!

 Avaree wanted a picture of all three of us on the floor where they have group time during school! :) I did my best with the phone! ;)

Ave with her sweet friend, Emerson! I loved meeting all of her little friends that I hear so much about! 

 So thankful for Avaree's little school! Although I don't feel like she is learning much academically, she is learning more scripture and bible stories, and it is a wonderful outlet for her! I can handle the educational stuff at home for now! :)

Avaree's Christmas Program!

Avaree goes to school for a little less than four hours, two days a week, at Fielder Road Baptist Church here in Arlington. She has the sweetest teachers, Mrs. Fleniken and Mrs. Huckaby, and she has learned several sweet songs and bible verses! Her teachers have also been great with her food allergies, and if ever they have a question, they always call me immediately. I love that! 

A couple of weeks ago, they had their Christmas program, and it was AMAZING! :) Avaree and her classmates learned TWELVE songs! And let me tell you, my child knew every word and every motion to every song! She has been singing them at home for weeks, and, best of all, they were songs about JESUS! :) Her Christmas program the last two years has been secular, and I LOVE that she is learning the TRUE meaning of Christmas even at SCHOOL! :)

Her favorite songs this year were: "Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus" and "What Can you Carry on a Donkey's Back!" :)

As usual, she was right at home on stage, and she smiled the whole time! :) Her music teacher is WONDERFUL, and her thirty-minute program was PERFECT! :)

 She got really into the motions! :)

 LOVE!

 Oh how I wish her eyes were open here! :) Perfect pose--she loves to sing and dance! 

 At the end amid the fury of flashing lights and crazy parents! :) 

So proud of our girl!!!!

(Thank you again to Aunt Jamie for our PERFECT Christmas outfits! Felicity was wearing hers in the audience! :))