First Days

Well, we finished off the summer bucket list. Alysse was going strong before we left the house, but fell asleep in the car. Don't tell her that she missed having lunch at our local frozen yogurt bar. I can't bear for the wild pig-tailed girl to know she missed out. Plus, out of nowhere, she can pack quite a squeal these days. :)

Other items we crossed off with big, fat, black wavy lines throughout these hot months:

*Get ice-cream from a truck
*Go to the beach
*Swim in a pool
*Try out the spray park
*Hit up as many parks as we can close to our house
*Get a library card at our new library
*Make a starfish
*Make a shell creature
*See a movie in a theater
*Find a bike trail
*Go to Amazement Square
*Write letters to our Tennessee friends
*Hike to the university's monogram

And the two we didn't get to:
*Play a family soccer game (Oomph, the mosquitoes in our little backyard!)
*Camp out (Oomph, our tent zipper broke!)
I'm holding out for these two this fall... maybe, just maybe??

As the summer winds down and we wait for that familiar nip to hit the air, as we replace sticky popsicle chins with all things cinnamon and pumpkin, as we trade in flip flops and sundresses (or overworn Buzz Lightyear, Elmo, and Jessie t-shirts) for long sleeves and boots... we, like so many, also began the first days of school.

For Joe:

How ironic that our neighbors have three girls (6, 5, and 10 months). And the Daddy over there just became a professor. And their last name is one letter shy of our's! These were cupcakes to share at a cook-out to wish them both the best.

I love watching him dump out a big box in the basement and carting it off to class to represent the state of Virginia or hunting around for a slinky to teach some fancy phrase like "jurisdiction." Last I heard he took in peanut butter and chocolate to show how something-or-other just has to go together in law; his students walked out with Reece's Peanut Butter cups as a reminder.

Man, I love good teachers.

And the first day for us girls:

Counting is her favorite. So is her hospital bracelet, worn like a small badge of honor "because it has a 'M' on it, Mommy!"

Making music like that guy with the funny wig. You know, Johann Sebastian Bach.

Maddie's middle of the day wardrobe change. It's about how I know it's Alysse's nap time.

Here's to hoping for a wonderful and healthy new season of memories for us and for everyone out there. We won't soon forget you, life changing Summer of 2011.

~Katrina

ps...
♥Thanks for the concern and prayers!! Hope is doing really well and hasn't had another stomach episode- praise God! Maddie has one last appointment with the cardiologist in a few weeks, and we are believing for a full recovery of the virus infecting her heart lining. She can manage normally as long as we pay attention to signs like her needing to rest. Our biggest request, besides for the healing, is that this is NOT the sign of a deeper issue.♥