{Counting Down the School Year}

FIVE wake-ups to go!!! 

The end of the school year is almost here. 

By next week, we will officially have an 8^th grader, a 4^th grader, and a 3^rd grader!!

How is it that each passing year flies by a little bit faster???

I know that I have done an absolute horrible job at keeping up to date with just how fast the children are growing. As much as I hate it, I have reverted to posting as many pictures as I possibly can on sites such as Facebook and Instagram. My hope this summer is to travel back in time….we will see how well that goes!

One fun aspect of being a 3^rd grader is being able to learn ALL about Louisiana. Miss K has absolutely loved this ongoing project. Louisiana culture is quite unique and one that we have all come to LOVE!!! At the end of the year, the 3^rd grade teachers come together to host a culminating event. This event helps tie everything together and gives the students an opportunity to experience a little “Taste of Louisiana.”

I was able to sneak away from my favorite firsties to snap a few pictures.

Crawfish

She's not a fan!

Beignets...King Cake...Bread Pudding

YUM!

 Gumbo... Jambalaya...Red Beans & Rice...Meat Pies

 a little Sweet Tea and BEADS!!!

 Sugar Cane and Honey...bees

 A little Taste of Louisiana wouldn't be complete without a gator sighting!

    

Last week, Bry performed in her final choir concert as a 7^th grader. I must confess that every time I watch her, I tend to shed a tear or two. This last concert was no exception. Jason had to take over videotaping duties because I simply could not control the leaky faucet that replaced my eyes. In my defense, before the concert started, Bry whispered to me that the final song was dedicated to “me and daddy.” 

I bet I'm not the only one who was reaching for a tissue!!!

A few final May memories

Mother's Day 2013

 ~Extra LOVE from my kids~

{Memorable March Milestones}

A cup of a coffee, a quiet house, and the sound of rain pelting the ground means no morning run and a little extra blogging time.

March 2013 will definitely go inside the Mall Family Vault as the month of many magnificent milestones. To say that I have been weepy is a bit of an understatement. As proud as I am of Bry, Kalyssa, and Trav, it’s still a little hard to believe just how fast they are growing up!!

Milestone #1

March 1^st: The celebration of the last single digit birthday for Miss Kalyssa!!!

You may have noticed in the video that Kalyssa was very surprised when she opened her birthday present. Let me share that the ONLY thing she wanted for her birthday was to go to the Daddy Daughter Dance at school. We had told her that she wasn’t going to be able to go. She was absolutely crushed but held it together fairly well. The morning of her birthday I found her with a few tears in her eyes. She was a little sad because she knew that she wasn’t going to be able to go to the dance with her daddy and her friends. Did I mention that Jason and I had already gone shopping and found the perfect dress and the perfect shoes??? Did I mention how hard it was to keep the secret???

Our day went along just like any other Friday, except for the fact that there was a whole lot of decorating going on in the school gym. Kalyssa found me during recess, gave me a big hug, and told me that she was so sad but that she knew Daddy would make things special for her. I think the only thing that kept my tears at bay was the fact that I knew she had a box to open as soon as Daddy got home from work.

The video speaks for itself. Her reaction was absolutely priceless!! I won’t go into full details but I will share that Kalyssa was the happiest 9 year old on the entire planet. Her Cinderella moment is one that she holds onto every day!!

A birthday message from Sissy

 Sister Love

 Before

 After

 A Princess and Her Daddy

Milestone #2

March 26^th: Bryanna turns 13!!!

Shush it, I’m still in denial!!! I’m still trying to figure out how in the heck my brown eyed chunky monkey is now a teenager!?!?!? The first word, the first step, the first day of pre-school where we both cried because we had never been apart…every growing moment still fresh in my brain.

As luck would have it, Bry’s birthday landed in the middle of Spring Break. We wanted to do something special, perhaps a surprise that included her most “bestest” friends. With the help of some very special friends we did our best to pull off a 13^th birthday dinner bash. Unfortunately it didn’t go as planned. This Facetime world that we now live in doesn’t always help to keep secrets at bay especially when friends ask questions without realizing who is in the room. Although I will share that Bry took pity on her mamma and played along only mentioning to me after that she already knew. On the positive side, we did manage to finagle one surprise with the appearance of two extra special guests!!

Milestone #3

March 28^th: Travin’s First Communion!

Holy Thursday in itself is very meaningful, but for us it also marks a day of new spiritual beginnings. For the third year in a row, we have been able to sit in church and be a part of something greater. Our tradition started with Bryanna as she made her way down the aisle in anticipation of receiving communion for the very first time. The second year, our family was whole again as we watched Kalyssa make her way down the aisle in preparation of receiving the body of Christ for the first time. This year, Travin walked the same aisle and stood on the same alter that welcomed him as a child of God. My heart swelled with pride and my emotions took over as I watched my baby boy stand tall and proud next to Monsignor with his hands clasped together in prayer. 

  

Travin being well Trav, was not as excited as the girls in the beginning. He didn’t understand why he had to go or what any of it even meant. One thing I am proud to share is that he questioned. He asked us a lot of questions about everything that he was learning. He wanted to know why. Over the past few months Jason and I have been able to watch Travin grow spiritually. It has been quite the journey for him. He dedicated his time and made a commitment not only to himself but also to God. We weren’t sure how he was going to do with all of the words he was taking in or if he would even grasp any of them, but he did! After he received the body of Christ for the first time, he mentioned to us that he is ready to serve God in other ways.

When we made our way back to our family pew, Trav and I said our prayers together. We thanked God for all of the blessings he has given us and for loving our family the way that he does.

Definitely a memorable month!

{Don't Blink}

Don’t let life pass you by.

Words that are now embedded within my heart!

This past week has been a tough one.

Emotionally, mentally, and physically.

A week ago, we were counting down the days.

14 years of marriage

and

a beautiful blue eyed girl who as of tomorrow will be celebrating 

the last of the single digit birthday’s!

It’s ironic how one phone call can shift the weight of your troubles.

The things that we think matter, no longer take relevance.

The stresses that consumed my waking hours, no longer mattered.

What matters?

My family!

My husband and my children after a health scare 

that sent my husband to the emergency room.

My family!

The ones who are consumed by grief after losing 

a husband, a father, and a grandfather.

These are the things that matter!

The past few days have been a bit surreal.

Things have been all out of sorts.

~14 Years of Marriage~

Jason and I tried to take a moment to celebrate “us” but honestly, it didn’t feel quite right. Instead of reflecting on our marriage, we ended up reflecting on the marriage of his amazing grandparents. It was after all the love that they shared and the relationship they created that has brought us to where we are today and where we hope to be in 40 years.

Don’t let life pass you by.

Every morning I wake up and follow the same routine.

The one thing I can’t live without,

MY MUSIC!

I listen to my i-pod every morning.

Somewhere throughout the week and usually throughout the month, 

a song will repeat itself.

But then today happened.

A song that I haven’t heard in years began to play.

A song that was almost forgotten because it has been that long since it last played for me.

Today, the presence of a man who welcomed me with open arms,

a man who once told me he was proud that his grandson chose me to share not only his life with but also his last name,

a name he just so happened to be proud of,

surrounded me.

The tears poured down my face as I sat on the bathroom floor this morning.

Every part of me clung to the words.

When it was over, all I could do was whisper 
Thank you Granddad! I am so lucky and feel so honored to have been welcomed into the family that you and Grandma created!