Madison P. ... First Grader at last

Today was the first day of school for Madison. At 6am I softly walked into Madison's room. I watched her sleeping, precious, and so innocent. Is she ready for First Grade? Am I ready for First Grade. Her teacher, Mrs. Pittman, is nice. She has a class of 20 students and is the only first grade class that is a multi-age class mixed with 2nd grade. We are excited about that but a little apprehensive. there are a lot of positives - but some legitimate concerns. We prayed for the right teacher and the right class, so all we have to do now is trust. I need to wake her, but I can't. Why? i have to pull myself together first! This is harder than when she went to Kindergarten! Will the other kids be nice to her? Will she make plenty of friends. Will she thrive or will she get lost in the shuffle of 1&2 graders in the same class.


When we were in Italy Madison's nursery was in Paddington Bear Nighty Night. We found a wall lamp in the shape of a crescent moon. Since we are back in Europe we can use it again. It is hanging high in her room. The light sends me back to the many nights I spent rocking her, trying to figure out what in the world I was doing with a baby! Now here we are 6 years later getting ready for 1st grade.

I rubbed her back and said softly, "good morning my first grader". Expecting her usual "please mom, just 2 more minutes" imagine my surprise when she jumps up and shouts "Today I go to first grade...Wahooo! Let's go!!!" In about 3 minutes she was dressed and eating breakfast!

I drove her to school, don't remember the drive because I was listening to her sing and catching a glance of her in the mirror looking so grown up.

She rode the bus home. Morgan and I walked to the bus stop and wouldn't you know the bus was about 10-15 min early!!! She was all alone. The others from her stop had walked home, but she stayed. Good girl. She told me that she thought about walking, but remembered that there was a road to cross and she shouldn't do that without me. Good girl!!!

I missed the picture opportunity of her getting off the bus, but took a picture of the bus and the German driver anyway.

Morgan starts school on the 4th. She is thrilled!!! We met her teacher Mr. Watts today. He will be perfect for her! !

Yes we are alive....

Sorry it has been so long since blogging - please keep the "where's the next blog" mail away. Things have been a bit crazed... time is not in abundance... so, here are the highlights

VBS finished up - and was FABULOUS!

Our things arrived in Germany, but we could not get a delivery date until the 20th. Bummer huh? They told us to call on the 13th to see if we could move up the date. They did! To the 14th!!!!! Great right? Well, in a way - FMO (those incharge of our loaner furniture) could not come until friday, so Mark and I were up till the wee hours of the morning lugging it down 3 flights of stairs.

So we are swimming in boxes!!!

Morgan is ill - dr says nothing wrong - so I guess it's okay that she hacks all the time - no one is sleeping and we are all miserable and tired.

Commander wife stuff is becoming a reality - obligations and such - that's a novel blog for later.

Found a church - lots of scrappers - all wanna be my friend b/c of the cricut :-) nice church - more to come there...

Computer is dying a slow steady death - we are trying to get a new one.

Movers dropped TV - mover dude got cut & bloddy nose - picture is distorted - learning to file claim - looking for new TV ;-(

Saturday is our Squarden picnic - looking forward to it!

School starts the 27th!! LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT too!!!

Morgan starts 4 September.

FMO (loaner peeps) will be here in about 10 minutes (7:30)

More to come later! Miss you all!

Ciao!

Offerings...

Today the girls went to VBS at the church we have been attending, Trinity Baptist Church in Metterich. They have been excited for days! I felt a little weird about sending them to another VBS, but thought this would be good because they would be with children their ages and who attended our church.

When I went to pick up the girls, just as I walked in the door a lady comes to me and says "Are you Morgan's mom?" I tried to read her face to see how I should answer... But I couldn't so I said "Yes, why?" She then told me what a delight she was and how even though she just had her for snack - she really touched her heart. Hmmmm, that's GOOD! I wondered what she had done, when 2 other workers came to ask if I was Morgan's mom. I paused, but the secret was out, apparently Morgan had made a big impression on them also.

At the end of the program they announced that there would be a contest, Girls vs Boys to bring in the most change. The money raise would go to support Missionaries in Poland. On the way home the girls were talking about VBS and the fun they had. Then Madison and I had a conversation like this:

Madison: Mom, you know how I wanted to do something really special with the money the tooth fairy left me?
Me: Yes
Madison: Well I know just what to do! I am going to give it all to the missionaries - I was going to use it for a toy - but I have other teeth that will fall out and I can use that money for toys.

I of course began to tear up feeling pretty blessed that my girls were so precious and thoughtful and that maybe we haven't ruined them after all! Even after spending the past few days fighting and carrying on with each other - there was a glimmer of the sweet side of them. I wanted this generosity to carry on all day! Madison also told me how Morgan was the only one to raise her hand during snack and offered to say the prayer!! go Morgan!!!!

Now we are home and they are back to fussing with each other. Only a few weeks till our things arrive and school will start and they can have some independence.