Closing day!

It's finally here. We are closing on our house today and move in tomorrow. We are so excited. Faith is super excited to have her own room to lock her brother out of and even more excited to have Pa Pa build her a loft bed complete with slide. Her gymnastics mat will make a return along with her beam and she is already asking for a kip bar. If I was smart, I'd get it for her however not sure where we'd put it. Our house is so beautiful and the yard is huge complete with landscaping all ready complete. Faith has asked for her room to be decorated in fairies, elves, and unicorns. This surprises me because she isn't into these any more. I would think that gymnastics would rule the room however that is not the choice right now. A house to call home is what we've been waiting on and today we get it.

Excited to read

Downriver has so many libraries to enjoy. Faith is getting introduced to the library as a class at school so she was excited to hear the Champ and I discovered a new one with a castle reading knook. She ran in as excited as she could be and when I directed her to the Junie B Jones collection she found all the ones she hadn't read yet and brought them to me. Faith, we can't check out all of these books. You have to read what you have at home, bring them back and then check out a few more. When she gets on a reading frenzy like this it is a real letdown once she has read all the collection. This same letdown occured with Fairy Realm and Fairy Chronicles. There's always Little House on the Prairie I suppose. They made them into cute little chapter books. I asked Faith to pick out one to read on her own and she picked a level two reading about camping out. She is excited to read the title on television shows also. Maybe I shouldn't give up yet on having a reader. She will probably be like her Andma, reading all the time once she realizes that reading opens the door to anything she could ever imagine wanting to learn about. We read non stop every night for five and a half years in the hopes that she would be a great reader and it is just about to pay off.

Growing up...a poem

You're growing up
I know, I see
No longer do you say, just cuddle me.

What's a mom to do
When her daughter says "just shoo"

Your pants are short
Your shirts too tight
Did you grow up just over night?

I saw it
I know I did
But sometimes wish we could just sit
Sit together and spend some time

When did hand holding become a chore
When did Dora become a bore
Where's my ballerina in her room?
Why can't thumb sucking just be cool.

Can we cuddle just one more time?
Can we have some mommy time?

Can the time just slowly pass?
I promise just to make it last.

Slow it down
I can't keep up
Hold my hand along the way
Love me always, I must pray.

Moving day no more

Today was supposed to be moving day. We were set to have everything ready to close on our new house however stuff is still waiting on completion. We find ourselves asking, will we get in early to our new house or will it still be October 1st like originally planned? Faith is ecstatic about her new weeping willow in the backyard and I am excited about all the opportunities for flowers. Our time will come, just not as fast as everyone would like. Patience makes us all better people.

Daisies

Faith is on her way to be a Daisy within the Girl Scout Council of Michigan. I remember the days of girl scouting. It was filled with fun after school activities, treats, field trips, special visitors to speak with us, campouts, parades, cookie sales, badge earning, and so much other fun things. Last night at parent night Faith officially registered for Daisies. She is so excited. I read the activities for the month of September and October and a special field was planned for October in which the girls will visit a farm and have fun on a Harvest hay ride and bon fire. Out of all the activities Faith can be involved in I think that Daisies will be the most fun and informal to make friends. I can't wait myself for opportunities to be involved in what she does. I already volunteered in her classroom and will plan on helping at Daisies.

Here it comes

At one point in time Faith was shy and reserved at church. Now she is a wrestler in disguise complete with leg take down and arm bar. When Faith loves some one she displays her affection by hanging on her new love and playing with them. When Faith walked down the hall the other morning after church, I thought that she'd be ready to go however she was attached to her new love; her teacher from Primary. At school it's hard to be playful with 20 other students demanding a teacher's attention. At church she has 6 friends in her class so a small group equals time for play and fun. I'm so excited to see a relationship start to build. She misses her kindergarten teacher still. I often hear her speak of her however time is slowly moving forward and opportunities are presenting themselves so she can get to know more people. Primary program is in two weeks. She is excited somewhat and trying to learn her songs. I still have to teach her her part to speak about the prophet but it is an easy line to memorize.

Faith, 1st grader

Much like Faith's new friend Junie B Jones from book world, she has completed her first day of 1st grade. It went smoothly I suppose. Faith mentioned she made two new friends. One was 6 and the other 6 1/2. I wonder what her friends say to her when she says she is 5. But much to my surprise, she didn't cry when I left her at school yesterday morning. She gave me a hug, a kiss on the cheek and I told her to have a great day. That was it. Really?? Where is the don't go mommy. I love you. I'm scared. What if they don't like me? Could she have atleast held onto my leg for just a moment the way she does when she is nervous? No, not today. She was ready. A summer vacation that lasted too long in her eyes. Faith is one to enjoy the structure of school and organized learning. It makes her day go fast. I'm not sure if I'll ever meet her friends because I'm not with her this year. I might hear about them each day but will I ever put a face with them. A day that filled with 4 outside times (short play times), a lunch room filled with 100 1st graders, and a music teacher who didn't bring her music the first day of school, and some fun getting to know you activities. She is growing up. I remenise about her younger days of twirling in the front room in her tu tu that was as short as her underwear or always wanting to hold my hand no matter where we went. Enjoy the quiet times and savor the moments. For if you don't watch it our children grow up without us knowing.

The Great Wolf Lodge

This last weekend brought a new experience for all of us. We traveled a few hours away to the Great Wolf Lodge in northern Ohio. This place is packed full of fun for a whole family. At first I thought that the longer we were there the more I would have to entertain my family but I was wrong. This lodge is the most family friendly place I know of. The entire inside is packed full of a huge water park complete with slides big and small, splash pools, raft slides and lazy river, buckets of dumping water, and so much more. What was even better was that Faith was tall enough (44 inches) now to have full access to all slides by her self. She had so much fun and didn't even cry when we left. She simply said thank you mommy. The fun didn't stop at the water park, it continued until 9pm when the talking clock tower show and story time was over. The Great Wolf Lodge wolf came out in costume to read with the storyteller and Faith was able to be downstairs in her pajamas and all 4 stuffed animals. Lamby even came, Faith was so excited that she was invited to attend. After a total of 6 hours of water time in a 24 hour period, we were exhausted and ready to head home. We all loved this place and will surely go back some other time.

Playground party

Every morning is playground time here on the island. Michigan literally has a different park to visit each day. So far within a 10 minute driving distance, we have encountered 5. Last night Faith enjoyed a 1/4 mile pony ride at one of the parks close by. What was even better was that the ride was only $5. Cheap and fun! Faith has climbed on a human size spider web, rock climbed across a playground, climbed trees, jumped from rock to rock in a game of don't fall on the grass, bicycle paths as far as the eye can see, monkey bars good for flipping over on, suspension bridge to pretend to be the grumpy old troll, horses, animal shelter, slides, tire swings, and so much more. Of course we all need time for fresh air and lately the mornings have been in the upper 60's for a temperature. Fall is just around the corner and I look forward to the cool days of wearing jeans, t-shirt and jean jacket.