When I Grow Up... According to Lily

Lily's been very down in the dumps these past couple of days... so many mixed emotions for her with her friends moving and the possibility of our family moving as well... Yesterday, the moving truck came for the Parslow's renters... and that just made it all too real for Lily... seeing strangers move into Emily's house. So, she has needed a lot of conversation and hugs about all this... stuff. I can't imagine how hard it is for her to wrap her head around this - because it is so hard for me to wrap my head around and I'm a grown girl (well, kind of :-)...

Our list has grown long since last fall alone... Miss Shelley, Miss Tara, Miss Cheyna, Miss Jacque, Miss Kim, soon Miss Staci and Miss Stephanie (okay, so I realized I just listed all my friends and I'm supposed to be talking about Lily's and Ella's and Jack's), so, let's try this again... Cayden, Alex, Abby, Olivia, Emily, Hannah, soon Cameron, Dylan, Brandon, Michah, and Trinity - Whew! That's a whole lot of "say you laters..." And these are just the people who are leaving before us - woo-hoo Air Force. The list is even longer of all the people we'll still have to say good bye to should we make an eventual successful transition...

Lily has asked me out of the blue these past couple of days, "Mom, are you still a little sad?" (as if she's wondering if it's okay to still be sad about Emily - I think she thinks it's just supposed to "poof" and go away, which of course it doesn't.)

She wanted to go on my run with me tonight - we made a deal that she could run the first part with me, then I'd drop her off at home and finish up on my own. The little girl ran 1+ miles (without stopping!), having girl-to-girl conversation with me the whole way (I loved every minute of it...). It ranged from, "Mom, I really love this view over here" as we circled one of the roads that looks over all the homes that sit down in the hill... to "Mom, do you think Emily likes her new house? Do you think she'll forget about me?"

Later this evening, Lily was still needing some one-on-one conversations that spanned anything and everything... one of my favorites had to do with what she'll be when she grows up. "I think a soccer player, a dance teacher, a doctor, and a horseback rider... oh, and of course a momma." "Mom, do I have to pick just one thing?" My response, "no way - be lots of things, but know you'll be a busy lady..." This channeled us into a conversation about doctors - and all the different types of doctors. She told me, "I wish I could see someone's heart beat - you know, see how it works." We then started talking about hearts, and veins to which she quickly replied, "No no, not in real life, I mean, maybe just on the computer..." Somehow we got into a conversation about taking care of little kids' hearts. I told her that those doctors were called "Pediatric Cardiologists..." I asked her if she'd ever want to make sick kids' hearts better... her response after much deliberated thought, "No, I don't think so. I don't like to see little kids sad. I think I could be a grown-up cardiologist... take care of grown-up hearts. That would be a lot easier because grown-ups don't cry very much."

Oh, if she only knew... sniff sniff for Crestview... yes, can you believe it, for Crestview...

Saying our "See You Laters"

I could write forever on this one... and I don't have time to do that now, so I'll have to come back to this at some point. But, Sunday was a hard day for our family, especially Lily and Ella. We had to say "see you later" (good bye) to our dear, dear, dear friends, the Parslows, who have lived just two doors down from us the past four years. Our girls have grown up together, literally and are the true definition of "best friends." Reminding myself I can't write forever (the kids are going to be up soon and I better get something accomplished!) - but, in the final good-byes at the top of my driveway under a dark, starry (WARM) summer sky, the four girls were all hugging, each handling the situation in their own way... but, as the Parslows' shadows slipped down the street and Lily was trying so hard to be brave... Lily was walking into our house through the garage and she turned over her shoulder and shouted for all of Egan Drive to hear, "Emily - We'll always have Pochantas's spirit! Our friendship will NEVER break!" My heart was in fact breaking, watching my little girl do her first "hardest thing ever..." ugh. "See you later, Kim, Jim, Emily, and Hannah. We love you!!"

I Love You

Just a quick post to say that my little Jackaroo, last Friday, looked at me as I was caring him inside from the pool on yet another 100+ degree Florida day, and said, "I love you." Of course, it was garbled in Jack-speak, but, he definitely, definitely said it. Hasn't said it since - but it was wonderful in that moment!

Sweet Ella

Just to take a moment to record some of the hilarious things lil'Ella Bella says...

While at Destin Commons on Father's Day, we were walking along the huge sidewalk area that runs all through the commons - it's made up of a bunch of paver stones. In the middle of the walkway (far, far away from any grassy patch) was a random piece of grass sticking up through the stones. Ella stopped, and said, "Oh, the grass is lost!" She proceeded to pick it, saying "I'll take care of it!"

Ella always somehow winds up in our bed in the mornings (bad habit, I know...) - but, she's quite a little morning person. Every morning, she opens her eyes and has something clever and cute to say to start the day - something always a bit more unique than just "good morning!" Ben's personal favorite is when she woke up a few days ago and declared, "Woo- Ella was TIRED!" :-)

On a different morning, she woke up and immediately began making "crocodile claps" with her arms and hands... she did a "short" one with bent elbows and announced, "This is a baby crocodile." Then, a larger one with long arms, "This is a mommy crocodile." Then, all sweet and caring, she cradled her forearms that had morphed into a baby crocodile and cooed, "I love baby crocodiles." (Seriously... this really is how she wakes up!)

This morning might be my personal favorite (preface this story with the fact that Friday nights are Movie Nights for our family and last Friday we watched The Chronicles of Narnia)... Ella opened her eyes after a full night's rest (yes, again, in my bed...) and declared, "I just talked to the Narnia people. I want to talk to them again." Prodding, I asked, "Did you dream about that movie, Ella?" Her reply, "No, I TALKED to them... Mom, what is Narnia's phone number? I want to call that little boy!"

Goodness! She's full of sunshine in the am!

Fire Engines and Policemen

God, Sun, and Snow Cones!

The past three days or so here in sunny FL, have been hot. Almost too hot... about 100+ degrees (the weather channel has said 106!). We've spent LOTS of time in the little kids' pools we have out in the yard - the kids having a blast with all the water toys and popsicles! And, they (especially Ella) are FL kids at heart... Ella the other day was in the playroom stripped down to her underwear and my astonished question to her was, "Ella, what are you doing??" She simply replied, "Mom, I'm just too hot" and she then just continued playing - like it was a normal, expected problem and she had solved it!

Yesterday, we were getting in the car from an outing to the police/fire dept. as part of a friend's belated birthday fun (maybe a separate blog on that fun later!)... but, we're getting in the hot, hot car, I immediately kick the AC into high gear while we're buckling everyone up. Lily thoughtfully looks at me and asks, "Mom... does God know not to make it so hot that we would all die?" (my six year old is already inquiring as to global warming!)... My response was the safe, "Lily, what do you mean?" "Well, Mom, does he know not to put us too close to the sun? Because, if we get too hot, all the people would die, and mom, I'm REALLY hot." So smart, yet so innocent of a question. My response, "Lily, that's why he put us in the perfect place in the solar system - not too close to the sun, but not too far away either." Her response, "Oh, okay."

And then our minds were on to other things... like getting snow cones!!

Just One Break

Ugh. Not to complain - but goodness. On top of everything else, it looks like our two year old washing maching went ker-plunk today and the dishwasher is making a frightening loud hum. These are not steps in the "forward direction" I am seeking!!! We are fighting so hard to get through this transition - yes, things can always be worse and we are so thankful for all of our blessing, but, truly, just as Christina would say, "Seriously!"

Swim Lessons and Medals

The last day of the spring swim session was about two Saturdays ago. All three kids take - Jack's a dolphin, Ella's a penguin, and Lily's a shark. We have the BEST SWIM COACH IN THE ENTIRE WORLD - Coach Mary - she is truly one of our most favorite people in the entire state! Our kids are lil' fish - all thanks to Coach Mary! These are pics of the kids receiving their medal, which honors their completion of their spring course. I hope to be able to enroll them in the summer session which starts on June 22nd - but, since our life can't decide which way is up right now, we've put that on hold for just a second...

Kid's Day, Fort Walton Beach Landing

The kids and I attended Kid's Day at Fort Walton Beach Landing Thursday of last week. It was hot, hot, hot, but overall a good day. The girls were intent to climb the rock wall. This ended with Ella in tears because she did not make it to the top - she's a determined little girl. Lily got about half way, then struggled with all of her might in one spot for a good twenty minutes - of which I was very proud of her determination as well, but Jack was SCREAMING - he was ready to go on to the next adventure of the day! I think it's safe to say that Jack's favorite moment was getting to make friends with the Gopher Tortoise that Nonnie from Nonnie's Ark brought along... Jack is a true animal lover - he would have hung out all day with the tortoise (literally, probably on its shell!) if I would have let him...

Welcoming Myself to Blogging

So, this is my first attempt at blogging. Thought it may be a neat way to share with family and friends - especially as we prepare for our move here in what may be just a few short weeks! Ahh!

Our family needs two things: a job for Ben and a renter for our home. Both seem to have some hope surrounding them... but, being the planner that I am, it sure does feel that we're getting ready to jump off a cliff. But, Ben and I have jumped before, NUMEROUS times, and we've always landed on our feet. So, hopefully we'll come land alive (though somewhat dizzy, I'm sure) this time around as well!

It's much too late for me to be doing this - but, wanted to get it started. I have intended to journal this entire time in Florida and have not really ever established the habit. Since I live my life around my kids, my kitchen, and this keyboard :-), maybe this will be a habit I can keep.