A Thorn Among Roses

since i'm getting over being a mom to an adult child now, i'm ready to remind myself i'm not that old...and remember i still have my 3 little ones {which may or may not make me feel older}.  b is almost 10 now...so here's a glimpse into her life today...b is hilarious.  plain and simple: hilarious.  quick witted and funny... she adores animals more than almost anything else, other than family...so much so that she has been a vegetarian since she could speak. the 2 major loves of her life: Oliver Joseph Poops-a-lot and Zeus...our bunny and dog, who both deserve a medal of honor for what they do with and for b and her ASD. oh yea, she's on the spectrum.  b is autistic...and in special schooling and lots of counseling for life skills, but most of all, b is loving and kind and caring and a free spirit. who doesn't love a kid that can start a "pile on dad" at 7am with her sisters and giggle through it all! most of all, she's...

graduation is a great way to get you to review your time with your kids in the past 18 years...it's a fun way to remember all the great things you have actually done with them along the way. i loved prepping for the open house...getting all the pics together and the house ready.  i just really wanted to completely honor paiger, admiring all the amazing accomplishments of a great young lady. so here's a few shots of just that...honoring a great woman of character, a woman of God, a daughter that is worthy of praise.  thanks, pig, for being a perfect role model for your younger sibs.

holy cow... it is happening despite all the times i have sworn it wouldn't...she's graduating!  it's official bc the school is planning a graduation service! i was partially aware...don't get me wrong, but i thought we'd just enjoy all the senior nights up to now, eat some cake and she'd still be hanging tight next year. but she's graduating! see, there's a small problem...i love having p around.  she's actually fun to be with.  i love kids when they get to be teens...you all can have the diaper years!  give me a teenager and that's some good, old fashion fun! but i regress...we must continue on my meltdown...it's our final senior night coming up.  baccalaureate is planned.  graduation is planned.  and we are organizing the open house. when i was taking her senior pics, you would think that would have been a clue.  nope.  just another senior shoot. but the last college visit...and the "finding a roommate...

since the older 3 girls are back in school all day now, for the first time, i have alone time 2 days a week with sofia. we do all sorts of silly things...but every day she asks for a 'nilla steamer at starbucks.  i guess she knows the way to my heart.  if only we had the money to do that every day :) we have discovered all sorts of new games and play times...but most of all, we have discovered ALONE TIME! ahhhh...refreshing.  what a great little gift to have time alone with my baby girl.  she's growing up so fast...

i must be dreaming bc the house is almost dead silent.  i hear the sound of a giggling sofia and some doc mcstuffin's in the background, but no screaming or fighting. it's here...school has returned.  and there's not a momma in the world that stays home every second of every day, that isn't rejoicing a little.  be honest! with p being a senior this year, i'm having a small heart attack about her going to school, but for everyone else, it's all good. b and jk... and then there's poor sofia, whose school doesn't start until after labor day... so sofia took part in the activities anyway... and zeus is always part of b's first day... but the pics were not hard to get... happy school year...almost

Why do everything the designated way? When you are Sofia, you do it the Sofia way...only.

I can't believe it, but she is 7!!! Had some good, old fashioned fun...friends, bouncey place, vampire fangs. Normal bday stuff!