First of Firsts

Today

I have a First Grader

who also lost her

First Tooth

just in the nick of time

for her First day of First Grade

This was important to her.

She has been equally excited for both.

As we drove down the little streets

the sidewalks were

swarming with kids

and parents

and strollers

and dogs

and bikes

and backpacks

Seriously

swarming

I have never lived somewhere

that the schools

almost

equal the churches

Almost.

I love the fall.

I love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils.

and new school shoes

and sweaty hands from playing on the playground.

I love packing lunches each morning

and knowing that

the sun is setting a little earlier each night

I love that Holland goes to school

with kids that I went to school with's kids

I love that we have our own address

in a neighborhood

swarming

with those schools

and churches

I love that Holland is going to my

college roommate's house after school

to play until I can gather her up

and take her home to make dinner

and do homework together.

I love that I get to be this little girl's mom.

I love that the most of all.

p.s. i was doing really good

not crying

until i saw her name on her desk

good thing the bell rang!

Arts

This Little Girl

She seems

to love anything to do with art.

And she can't seem

to get enough of it.

The International Dance Festival came to town last weekend.

Thursday,

she went with Grandma

Friday,

she went with her cousins, her auntie, and me

Saturday,

she went with me

Every night, she made her way to the front

Just so she could be close enough to study the costumes

(because this was her favorite part she said)

And every night, when it came time to go home

She nearly cried

and begged

to come back the next night

And so we did.

But Saturday night,

when there wasn't a next night,

she really did cry and said,

"But Mom, the Aborigine said he won't come back for like 7 more years!

and you just have to see him Mom! Because in like 7 more years, he will be old!"

?

I guess that was a good enough reason to try to convince me.

Oh.

She also devoured a plate of chicken curry

2 out of 3 nights.

Who knew

this little girl would like curry?

Faith

"Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—that is the first principle of the gospel. We must go forward. God expects you to have enough faith, determination, and trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. He expects you not simply to face the future; He expects you to embrace and shape the future—to love it, rejoice in it, and delight in your opportunities." Jeffrey R. Holland