New School

NiNa started at a new school on Wednesday.  A week ago Friday was their last day at their old school.  I really hate that the scheduling didn't work out for us.  We've had a wonderful experience for the last year.  Thankfully we were able to find a place that we will prayerfully love just as much.  The girls are enrolled two days at week to give daddy a little bit of much needed/deserved rest time.

Here are some pics from the first day.  They did pretty well with drop off - just a few tears from Nala when we left...she calmed/quieted down before we made it down the hall :)  Nia was completely fine the whole time, she was off making new friends.  Their end of the day report stated that they were both happy, quiet, and busy.  Also, they told KT that they were pretty tired and very much ready for nap!  Our girls are used to lots of resttime :)

 

Hannah's Shower

This past Saturday we had a shower for my friend Brandy.  Unexpectantly, Brandy delivered a beautiful 2 lb baby girl at 26 weeks.  Mommy and Baby are doing so well and have truly been a testament of God's blessings, favor, and grace.  I'm so proud of Brandy for the way she has handled this with such strength! 
Hannah has spent the last month in the NICU growing big and strong and today weighs over 3lbs.  We are so excited about that.  Her Aunt Hope is pretty thrilled that at 3.5 lbs she is going to get to finally get to wear some cute little outfits!!  We are all so ready for her to come home - I personally can't wait to hold her cute little self.

At her shower, she got lots of cute little things - can't wait til she can enjoy them!

                                           

Summer's Over!!

I'm not sure how, but somehow the summer has come and gone.  This summer, especially these last few weeks just completely flew by. 

MacKenzie went back to school this week after having a very full and exciting summer.  I can hardly believe that my baby is a 4th grader.  She was thrilled to go back to school.  She's been at her school since she was 4 and for her it is a 2nd  "home".  On Monday when she woke up she told me that she woke up every hour.  I remember that exact feeling every first day of school.  There is just something about coming back and starting it all over again.  We are excited about this year for her.  We think she has a terrific foundation and will do well - we are excited and hopeful that she will be challenged.  This year she will have to manage her school work load, continuing to do Kumon and piano, but will have to manage this with three nights of gymnastics versus two (10.5 hrs vs 6hrs/ week).  While I'm confident she can do it, I often offer up "outs"...she never bites :) ! Because she works so hard, I am willing to let her have this.  She really enjoys it and for her it is a challenge.  I love that she is working out and continuing to get strong and more so than anything that she LIKES it - but at anypoint she is ready to quit - I'm TOTALLY on board.

I asked her what she loved most about her summer.  MacKenzie is very indecisive and is in general careful about commiting her choices.  In the end, she said she basically LOVED it all - especially her summer trips - St. Louis, Fulton, Kansas City, and New Orleans.  And as far as local camps she really like a Project Runway class she took at her school and one that she did just last week.  Last week she went to a culinary camp.  It was AWESOME - she learned to make so many things including quesadillas, baked chicken, roasted carrots and lots of yummy desserts including made from scratch cookies , molten chocolate cake, and cinnnamon rolls!  I'm excited for her to try them out at home!

I'm prayerful that this year will be a good one for her and that she will continue to grow and mature as the little young lady she is becoming.

Finally - when I dropped her off on Monday - she revealed that as excited as she was - she was going to miss being with her sisters.  I LOVE it.  I love that MacKenzie finally has that...

She

1) is my sister
2) is one of my bestfriends
3) is absolutely stunning
4) let me practice shooting in manual
5) always has my back
6) is amazingly smart
7) is super skinny
8) is an awesome mother to Robin II & Cydney
9) is an excellent wife to Robin
10) has always been fiesty
11) loves God first and her family second
12) loves fashion and getting "dolled up"
13) is a true middle child
14) reminds me of my mother
15) is one of the strongest people I know
16) is very proud of her roots
17) is never afraid to speak her mind
18) chooses her friends wisely
19) never passes up a free meal
20) is affectionally called Maine