Sent with Love

Since becoming an adult receiving mail isn't nearly as much fun as when I was a kid. The array of bills, bank statements, and useless junk mail do not hold any excitement for me anymore. In fact, an empty mailbox brings me greater joy and peace than a full one...hurray, the American Express bill didn't get here yet! But since Dad and Margie have taken to the road in their r.v., mysterious packages keep arriving...and the anticipation of checking the mail has returned once again. Thank you for reigniting this childhood sense of expectation...it's an equally wonderful surprise.

Driving has PERKS!

I've always enjoyed taking drives. Maybe it's because I grew up in a tiny, rural town and long rides were part of small town living...the nearest mall was two and a half hours away...my orthodontist was forty-five minutes down the road...most of my summer jobs required thirty plus minutes behind the wheel. Or maybe it's because my dad always had a passion for cars...new and old...and I learned how to drive myself before I could fully reach the pedals.

Now that my own child is driving...I'm secretly thrilled. I watch her expressions closely as she scoots in behind the wheel, carefully adjusts her mirrors, and I'm filled with wonder each and every time...where is today's drive going to take us?



And there's definitely an added perk...I don't have to pump gas anymore!!!

My Hiatus

"Bloggers, forgive me for I have sinned...it's been 22 days since my last posting." Almost one month. Over three weeks. I wish I could report that I was busy doing something incredibly exciting like cruising the Greek Isles or I was engaged in a meaningful endeavor such as building a home for Habitat for Humanity...but I cannot. Instead I have been exceedingly busy preparing for yet another school year...unpacking my classroom, shopping for last-minute school supplies, making certain that my girls have just the right back to school outfits. And I've loved every minute of my reprieve. Just days before I went back to school for our teacher week I was thrilled to have my mommy come to Naples for a four-day visit...forcing me to put aside my curriculum guides, new school clothes, and file folders. Here are just a few pictures chronicling the time spent together...eating Steven's tasty dinners, watching Kinsey and mom bond while baking cheesecake, enjoying the easy conversations and comfortable silences. Guess I'm not asking for forgiveness after all!

Growing on Up!

“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was."~Abraham Lincoln

It hit me hard today when I collected the mail. Amongst the junk mail, cable bill and local flyers was the Lands' End Kids catalog. And I realized...I will never, ever again order any type of clothing for my girls from such a publication. Just this summer my baby girl moved into women's sizes. She's now a double 0 on bottom and size XS on top! Gone are the days of visiting Gap Kids, Limited Too and the children's department at Target. The coordinated outfits I chose with such care for Christmas and Easter celebrations are only a distant memory now. And to add salt to my wounds, Kinsey has also surpassed my shoe size...she's an 8! I know that they must grow up and I take pride in the way in which Kinsey has embraced these inevitable changes, but I can't help but feel a little twinge.