Been a while.....

I have been stretched so thin lately.

Pulled in so many different directions.

I a lot of catching up to do because a lot of things have come and gone...

The end of the school year, for me, brings SO many things that need to get done. So many projects for each of the kids...end of the year gifts...commitments at the schools...a certain persons birthday--which then means PARTY...our anniversary...plannning and getting a grip on the reality of having the kiddos home for summer....

I could go on.

But I won't.

Anyway....like I said....

I have a lot of catching up to do. :)

I will start with the fact that school ended yesterday.

It was quite emotional for me.

More then I thought it would be.

I am just not a person that does well with a change in routine. I like things to be the same. I like my people, and my day-to-day...and it is hard when what I know comes to a close.

Especially when it menas so many changes at one time...

Number one, I now have a senior in high school.

I have a senior who is SO not ready to be a senior.

Sometimes I wish we could decide where our kids should be...because although she is very smart, and has had a good year this year...mentally, emotionally...she is not ready to be where she is. She had a hard year freshman year, and then tried to come out of it Sophomore year, but went to the other extreme...so essentially...I feel like she just skipped those two years. Like she should REALLY be going into her sophomore year this coming year.

She is just now starting to learn accountability, and responsibility...and unfortunately, in the world...she is certainly expected to already know those skills.

I am super proud of the strides she has made this year, don't get me wrong...but I fear for what is to come too.

Number two, I have a second grader. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? How did my first born finish first grade.

I am kind of in love with our little "family" at our elementary school.

It makes me sad to have it come to an end.

We had an incredible year this year (again) with an incredible teacher (again)...well, group of teachers, really and I am so honored to be a part of it!

Funny though...that school- life becomes your normal day-to-day. The friendships, the interaction, the volunteering. It is hard to have it come to a close. I kind ofdon't quite know what to do now.

Number three, I have a friend at school who is leaving...moving away. Of course, that makes me sad too.

Anyway....all of that, coupled with the fact that I stayed up VERY VERY VERY late for 4 nights before yesterday to finish everything for Ty's birthday party (post to come) and end of the year gifts...made me kind of a wreck yesterday.

This was one of the teacher gifts....

This is another...

This is the book that I compiled from all of the kids. They did a thank you letter, a drawing and there is a portrait of each one of them.

Today, I am back to normal...kind of. :)

There is still a lot on my mind. We are having a garage sale this weekend, coupled with our 10 year anniversary...and dropping the oldest of my kids off at camp this weekend, then a little ocean trip at the same time. Finally my sister comes into town on the 3rd.

Seems like there is just always something!

ANOTHER HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It seems like the blink of an eye....

How fast time goes...

I feel like her first day of kindergarten was not so long ago...like learning to ride a two-wheeler was just yesterday. I remember moving when she was in second grade and staying past the move date so she could be there for her Valentine's day party. I loved her third grade teacher, and who she became in her class. She is a fighter...and battled until she not only won but masacred her cancer diagnosis! She had the same fourth grade teacher that her dad had back in the fourth grade...and I remember that she developed a love for writing, and first read Harry Potter.

Middle School, full of turmoil, more-or-less started and then ended with a girl just trying to figure out who she wanted to be, and where she fit in.

So far, high school, has proven to be a bit of a roller coaster...OK...a lot of a roller coaster...but, we are making it through.

This year, she seems to be making some strides! We just have to have LOTS of patience...and try to remember and understand that she is a teenage girl...we have to pray and remind ourselves that she will someday NOT be a teenage girl. :)

I wish with everything in me, that she would HEAR me when I tell her about how little the drama will matter later. How is doesn't matter at all what you wear or who thinks what. That fitting in, is so so much LESS important then standing for who you really are. That what we find, as adults, to be admirable, and stand up has NOTHING to do with who has a cell phone, or is dating, or has had sex, or has done drugs, or who was homecoming queen.

That life gets deeper, and harder...

That it gets so much better.

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We went to Red Robin tonight...a family tradition...

They embarassed Karman...also a family tradition. :)

I am all about getting a picture of the ridiculously yummy big bites of birthday happiness.

Even the little kiddos got to join in! Our Red Robin gives little sundaes to the other kids at the table.

Presents were great, as they always are.

She got a couple CDs, a shirt and sweater as well as a gift card from my parents.

Shoes, jeans, fleece and a couple of shirts for debate from us...

But her main gift was a certificate entitling her to choose between getting her ears double pierced, or a class ring (which she really wants)...

She was very excited!

Happy Birthday Karman.

We love you!

Day one as a JUNIOR...

(FYI...I don't know WHAT happened to the below pictures. I must have had a wrong aperature set at the time. I tried to fix it...by playing with color and softness etc...but IT DIDN'T WORK!!! I am only posting 2 of the pictures for now...just for the sake of having them on here...I am going to retake them...then will post more.)

Karman started her 11th grade year on September 10th, 2009.

The last couple of years, Karman has really struggled with fitting in, and finding her place, which has unfortunately also played havoc on her grades.

This year, however, is going to be her year. She has a really tough schedule...which we hope will keep her focused...it is a great tough schedule though. She is taking her first honors class. Honors American Literature. She is really nervous, but also very excited!

She is doing Debate again, which she worked very hard on during the summer...spending literally weeks, EVERYDAY at the library. She is also going to do Grizzly Cubs again, which is a mentoring program with the neighboring elementary school...and she is going to look into the T.A.T.U. program...which is Teens against tobacco use.

Like I said...this is her year...
Karman has struggled with many things in the last couple of years, making us have the VERY stereotypical...teenage daughter/mother (and father) relationship. On the day to day, we get along fine..but there are huge battles when it comes to disagreements.

It is typical...she THINKS she knows EVERYTHING...
And Kevin and I...do KNOW what is best for her.
They just don't always match up.
we don't claim to know everything...but during these turbulant years...we know her better then she knows herself.

However, through it all, she does amaze me.
She is a very bright, loving, and VERY outgoing girl. Her passion for things shows in everything she does.
Even, and maybe especially, in our arguments.
I admire her strength. She has gone through an awful lot and always been optimistic.
I so wish I had her talent for being able to stand, with ABSOLUTELY no fear, and speak to people. To compete in debate. Are you kidding me...I would love to do that!
She wins people over with this talent, all of the time.

She has the potential to do amazing things...and I so hope this year, she finds her place...
or MUCH better yet...
Stops giving a damn what everyone else thinks...

I hope...
She stands up for her beliefs...her goals...her talents...her morals...HERSELF.

That is my hope for my oldest daughter this year.

So that she can KNOW that she is as good, and beautiful as we KNOW she is!