{Our Grampy}

Sunday is here! Normally I would be very excited about the arrival of Sunday morning. Sunday’s after all, have been our celebration days since Daddy left. I will admit that I am very excited that this is the last Sunday in the month of May and, as of this week we have only one full month to get through before our family is whole again!!!



However, I am sad that our “Daddy Welcome Home” date has been changed. I am sad that we will have to push back our celebration date this week. I don’t think that the kids could handle having to add a chain to their link or miss out on actually pulling one off. So for now, we will just wait a few extra days to rip off our next link. Of course I knew that this was a possibility and I also know that this new date can change as well. I will say that it’s nice to have somewhat of an itinerary so, for now I will stay focused on that.


Today is also the day that we will head to the airport. Grampy will head back home today. We know that Grammy has missed him very much and probably wants him back home but we are all a little sad to see him go.


Grampy flew in last week in order to be here for all of the big milestones at school. I didn’t realize how much it would mean to me to have him here by my side. My focus was always on the kids. I knew that having him here would mean the world to the kids. He has been there for EVERYTHING when it comes to my kids. He has watched every graduation, every performance, and even attended things like back to school night, art night, and school festivals. It was no surprise that he would do whatever he had to do to make sure that he was here in Louisiana for the end of this school year.


Getting through all of this has been a little tough. The one person that I share everything with is on the other side of the world. It is hard to always be strong. It is hard to always put on that brave face and trudge forward. I will admit that I am not very good at it but, I do my best.


End of the year activities were very rough! There are so many emotions going on. All three of the kids worked so hard this year. We adjusted to a new life and then had to readjust to find our way without Daddy who happens to be a huge ingredient in the Mall recipe of life.


We faced challenges and then reached milestones. As the mommy to 3 incredible kids, it was hard to watch it alone. It was hard to sit in the crowd of parents without my other half. It was hard to watch as daddies (especially the ones in uniform) took pictures and then walked up to embrace their own kids. It was hard to walk down the school hallway only to see a daddy holding his son’s hand or allowing his daughter to sit on his knee. These are the moments that made me crumble on the inside. It’s not something you focus on but it’s there inside of you. The only thing I knew how to do was to smile and move forward. As the mommy, I made the extra effort to be present everywhere and pretty much every day (like I mentioned before, multitasking is GREAT!). I made sure that my kids always had a hand to hold, a knee to sit on, and a shoulder to rest their head on.


Grampy’s visit made things easier on all of us. I don’t quite know that I can put into words how much it has meant to have him here. I didn’t realize how much I needed him to be by my side as I watched Trav walk down the aisle in his cap and gown. I didn’t realize that having him sit beside me as I watched Bry graduate from elementary school would give me the little extra strength I needed to get through one more day.


My dad is pretty incredible!! I am a very lucky girl to be able to call him Dad. I truly don’t know where I would be had he not stepped into my life!!

Grampy doing what he does best...

Spending time with us!

~Prepping & Painting with Bry~

 ~Introducing Trav & Miss Miss to the world of gambling~

We sure do love our Grampy!!

{Embrace the Camera: May 26th}

Thursday is here!!

I promise I am not cheating!

I know that I already posted these pictures

but

this was a HUGE week for us

and

I completely love these pictures

and

I am of course

a

VERY

PROUD

MOMMY!!!

It was pretty amazing to get a kiss from my little guy on his big day! He looked at me and said "Mommy you are so pretty" and then gave me one of his best kisses. It is a moment I will NEVER forget! (I don't think you can see them but, there were tears in my eyes)

Somehow in all of the craziness, I missed out on capturing a picture with my newly promoted 2nd grader.

But, I couldn't leave her out of this weeks {embrace}

so, here is Miss Miss with her bestie and our budding photographer for some of our best {Embrace} the Camera moments. 

It's been an amazing year with lots of wonderful memories!

Happy Thursday!

{5}

{Last Day Blues}

 The last day of school makes us so blue

We’ll miss recess and pizza and reading, too.

We’ll miss music and art and friendship true,

Snack-time and science and learning new.

We’ll miss spelling bees for our test review

And sneaky elves that play Peek-a-boo.

The year’s been great, a big WAHOO!

There are many things to miss – it’s true.

But mostly what we’ll miss

is YOU!!

(Mrs. Cotton, Mrs. Everage, & Mrs. Procell)

Our 2010-2011 school year is officially over. Today marks the first day of summer vacation for the Mall household. Yesterday when we left the school, I left with a 1st grader, a 2nd grader, and a 6th grader!!!

~First Day of School August 18th, 2010~

~Last Day of School May 24th, 2011~

Time flies when you're having fun!

We were so uncertain of how things would go when we started the school year. We were nervous and anxious. Everything was new! We as a family were stepping in uncharted waters. The kids were about to experience a whole new way of life. Everything was different. We weren’t the family that everyone knew. We were unfamiliar with the teachers and the administration. We had no idea how to get from one end of the school to the other. But, we put on our brave faces and we trudged forward. We learned new things, we met new people, and now we somehow just fit in. It has been an amazing journey for the Mall children this year. They faced some challenges (rather tough ones at that) but they stuck with it, they never gave up. Yes they have shed tears, we all have. Their little hearts have been heavy and sad but they have also experienced a whole new level of happiness and joy. As scared as we all were about this move and about changing schools, as much as we miss everything about our home in California, this was the BEST move for our family. The kids have flourished in more ways than I can ever express. They have grown not only physically but emotionally. They have become their own little people this year. They became a little more independent and that has been quite the journey to watch.


As a mommy, one of the most amazing things to hear is how much others enjoy my children. When I hear teachers past and present tell me that they love my children, that I have amazing children, and that they miss my children...

It truly leaves me speechless!

~Great Kids!!! Great Year!!~

 ~Last 1st Grade Awards Assembly~

Awards Received By Kalyssa:

• All A’s fourth 9 weeks
• Straight A’s for the 2010-2011 Academic School Year
• Perfect Attendance
• Most AR Point Earned

 ~A Special Gift For A Very Special Teacher!~

 ~A Few Of My Favorite Kids!~

 It's been an amazing year!!! Daddy and I are so proud of you BKT!! You are 3 of a kind who completely inspire us to be better people! We love you so much!!!

{Elementary School Graduate}

Monday brought forth a whole new set of emotions. I know what you are thinking, me full of emotions….Really? Surly you jest =)



I am learning that there is no way to prepare for these moments in life. I’ve been working on these feelings ever since we made our way back to school after Christmas break. All of those long chats I had with myself and the little bouts of reality that smacked me in the face here and there really didn’t help at ALL. Graduation day appeared on my door step without so much as an invitation.


When I made my way down the hallway to wake up Bry, I took a moment to just watch her sleep. My daughter is so beautiful. She has always been a pretty girl but as I watched her, I took in all of the features that are beginning to define her as a young woman. She has changed so much and so fast. She has grown up so much this year. Needless to say, the tears started very early for me.

My baby girl on her first day of kindergarten!

 

Our morning was crazy. There are very few that aren’t but, this one was a bit more than usual. The kids had a lot going on at school and I somehow managed to get myself volunteered to help out with a bunch of last minute activities at school.

Aside from 5th grade graduation, we also had two AR “Skate & Scoot” parties and an academic party with special guest appearances by the fire department and the ice cream man. Multitasking, it’s GREAT!

Things always seem to work out and sure enough, I had just enough time to make my way back home in order to get myself dressed and back to the school before the crowds got completely out of control.

Graduation was kept under wraps. The only information that was given out was the time and the place.

At 1 pm the 5th graders were led into the gym. The Cub Scouts posted Colors. We said the Pledge of Allegiance, listened to the National Anthem, and then bowed our heads in prayer.

Each year the graduating class passes on a legacy before they move on. This year, the fifth graders came up with the idea to leave a brand new flag pole with a garden and a walking path made from bricks.

Special Awards were given out. There were some that we were familiar with and others that we hadn’t heard of yet.

Bryanna’s End of the Year Awards:

• All A honor roll during the fourth 9 weeks of school
• Straight A’s for the 2010-2011 Academic School Year
• Perfect Attendance
• Terrific Kid Award

She was also awarded Presidential Honors. This award is given to students who held a GPA above 3.5 for both 4th and 5th grade and who also received Mastery or Advanced on the end of the year state testing.

Her testing scores showed that she tested either at the Mastery level or at the Advanced level in all 4 categories: Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. She will begin her middle school years in the Honors/AP classes. She is very excited about this accomplishment. This was one of the goals she strived for this year.

After all of the awards were handed out, each 5th grade teacher took the stage and announced their graduates one by one.

The honor choir concluded the ceremony by singing “Each of Us Has a Light”

Congratulations Bryanna! You have worked so hard. You set your goals high and you accomplished each and every one of them. You have paved an amazing path for yourself. Daddy and I are so proud of you and the choices you have made. You are an inspiration to so many but most of all us! You are dedicated, caring, and strong wiled. You have so much to offer this world and we are so excited to be the ones who get to support you and watch you grow. You are going to do some amazing things with your life! Cope is very lucky to have you, as are we!!! We love you so much baby girl!!!

It’s Official!

My little girl is in

Middle School!