On Tuesday, John made the schedule change to first shift. After 21 years on evenings or nights or weekends, it was an exciting, answered prayer to send him off to work in the morning and have him back home in time for dinner. What an interesting change of mindset for me to realize at mid-afternoon, that the day is only going to get better...rather than bracing myself for the challenging evening ahead. The accompanying change in weather (cooler fall-ish days) has even had me back in the kitchen cooking "real" meals for dinner, to welcome him home. It's a good thing.
Wednesday was Charlie's first day of preschool. He's our first to attend "morning" session, which happens to be working out fabulously as of day one. A little extra preparation in the evenings (laying out clothes for ALL kids, instead of just schoolies) makes it simple to get the school kids out the door, and spend the next hour getting the younger ones ready for the day in time that we can walk Charlie down the street and around the block to "Jackie's" by nine.
Charlie was all smiles to finally be putting that new backpack to good use. He forced a "cheeeesey" smile, and practically ran off the porch ahead of us towards school. He did stop for us to catch up, but stayed several steps ahead of the rest of us...and even mumbled to little Rose that she most certainly "can not come up on the steps to school" with him. Little did he know we had our own plans for the morning...Just the three youngest and me.
First we headed down the street to the park...the girls seemed suddenly so much bigger. It didn't take long for my sister-in-law and her little Beth to meet up with us, and snatched Rose home with them for a play date. Oh my...only two little ones left with me.
Frank and I collected a whole jar of "cool rocks" at the park to take home and display on his dresser (for now.) We'll return them later, and search for new ones on our next adventure.
After a little laundry putting-away (Frank was a real help...putting all his own shirts on hangers), we turned up some music and danced...and jumped on Sam's bed, shhhh don't tell. We're celebrating life's changes afterall.
Before we knew it, it was time to go back for Charlie. We picked him up in the wagon, and heard tell of his first big day of preschool. He was all smiles as he chatted our way home with songs that he learned (the baby bumblebee song, ring-around-the-rosey, and more) and how he put two puzzles together all by himself, and how he met a couple boy-friends, but LOTTTTTS of girl-friends. Oh my....should be an interesting year.
So what did we do today to continue our week of firsts?? Well, we took Lucy shopping for "big girl" panties of course. She's officially decided to give all the diapers in the house to the new baby to come....yipppeee!!! We're just getting started, but off to a very successful start. I couldn't be happier for the new "big girl" in this house. And grinning to realize that for a few more weeks anyways, we will have nobody in diapers...for the first time in almost 11 years!!!
Oh my... yep, Life is Good. Our God is good.
