The recap of Matt and Leslie's wedding...

Before I even get started on this little post, let me just say: Blogger is crazy. It uploaded this photo in the wrong place! This one was supposed to be last! UGH! Any way, I guess just imagine that this pic really IS last, because I REALLY don't want to upload all the pics again! ha ha! And, you can't see Kate in this pic at all, but the "official" wedding photographer was taking pics, and I thought it unwise to re-position everyone just because I couldn't see her to snap a shot on my phone... so I just let that one go! I'm real flexible that way...
This weekend we were lucky enough to get to go to Houston to witness a new family being formed. Luke's youngest brother, Matt, married his perfect match, Leslie. It was a beautiful wedding. What an honor to see God's plan come together for these two!

I warn you, this post will be a "picture-fest"... I did not remember my camera, (I know... you aren't surprised, are you?). However, now I have an I-phone, and viola! I now have a phone with me always! Beautiful!!!

Here is Luke's family. Pretty good looking bunch (especially that guy over on the far left side!)
And here's the reason we came in the first place! Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Killian!
Here are 3 of the MOST beautiful little candle bearers I have ever seen. There were 6 other little candle bearers there that were pretty darn cute, too! (That's right... if you just did the math in your head, there were NINE children in the wedding ON OUR SIDE ALONE. Leslie's two nephews were also involved, which made ELEVEN CHILDREN IN THE WEDDING PARTY. Matt and Leslie are the bravest bride and groom I have ever met. Eleven children sounds like a recipe for disaster, but REALLY, they were all absolutely perfect! It was lovely.)
Here is my happy little family, posing with the groom before the ceremony.
And here's ABBY...
And little GRACE (Note the busted chin... It has a pound of make-up on it! ha!)
And the eldest niece, Miss KATE. She did a fabulous job coordinating all the younger nieces and nephews!
It was just a perfect wedding. We had a wonderful time! Congrats to the happy couple!

If I had any sense AT ALL...

...I'd be in the bed asleep right now.

I'm beat.

It's been a L-O-N-G week, and it's only Wednesday!!!

This weekend, my fantastic, wonderful, amazing brother-in-law is GETTING MARRIED! We're all so very excited for Matt AND for his beautiful bride, Leslie. I know the wedding will be amazing, and I just can't wait!

However, coordinating our "departure" from H-town has been, shall we say, "taxing" on me. I've never packed for 5 people for a "MAJOR LIFE EVENT" where we all must have appropriate attire while working at the same time. It's a little different, people! Usually, I would have shipped everyone off to work and school and dealt with it leisurely tomorrow. I started prepping yesterday, and today I have worked STRAIGHT THROUGH since we got home from school (except for the hour spent at church, and to be honest, if I could have found ANY LIVE BREATHING ADULT HUMAN to take over teaching my class for the evening, I would have skipped. )

But, I think I am finished. EXCEPT for Grace's dress... You see, all 3 of my babies are in the wedding. Grace's dress had to be hemmed, and even though I can sew A LITTLE BIT, there was NO WAY I was attempting this one! So, I dropped it off to be altered. As of today, they still hadn't called about it, so I called them, only to hear that they thought I needed it NEXT Thursday, and had not even started on it! ACK!!! I had a slight moment of panic, until the wonderful seamstress assured me she could have it done by tomorrow. No problem. After my breathing returned to normal, I thanked her, hung up, and then thanked God that he somehow reminded me to call them before tomorrow! :-)

Our other little "issue" is Grace's face. You see, she's a little clumsy right now, and last night she fell out of her Daddy's truck and messed up her face pretty good... She's got two huge gashes on her chin that match the bruise on her cheek quite nicely. GRRRRRR... I only left her with her Dad for an hour, and we've got gashes that will take a gifted make-up artist to cover up. I, sadly, am NOT a gifted make-up artist! :-) I'm hoping the bride and groom will find it her look "cute and endearing". Or, perhaps "interesting and memorable". I'm hoping that "hideous and annoying" are not on the list! ha ha!

On that note, I wish you a good night! (Or at least, for me, a restful one! :-)

Bluebonnets...

One of my favorite things about living in Texas is the wild flowers. They are beautiful in the Spring! I love to take the kids out and take pictures in the flowers (even though I haven't done it every single year... Don't judge me. Stuff happens. Mommies get busy. Flowers don't always bloom at convenient times. You know what I'm saying if you're a Mom!! :-))

Anyway, this year, the planets aligned, and I was able to get a photographer to meet us today after school to take some pictures in the bluebonnets. This is just a picture that I snapped with my phone - the real ones will arrive later, and I am hoping that they are FANTASTIC!
HAPPY SPRING!

...and then reality smacked me in the face.

In my mind, Grace is still a baby. She really should still look like this:But, in the real world, she is growing up. She's not a baby anymore. I know this, in my head. I do. But, do you think somebody could please explain it to my heart?

I thought I was doing ok. I mean, this whole "going back to work" thing was going well... I'm enjoying it. I thought I had a pretty firm grip on "reality".

But, today, "reality" smacked me in the face. (And, I think, "reality" then laughed at me. Yes. I'm pretty sure it did.)

Today was a big day. Today they took Grace's graduation photos at Pre-School. And, yes, she looked 4 different kinds of cute in them, and if they weren't copyrighted, I'd post one of them for you right here. But, they are copyrighted, so you'll just have to imagine my baby, in a bright red cap and gown, holding a diploma, and smiling a big smile.

As if that wasn't enough for a mama for one day, today was also "Kindergarten Round-Up". That's right, friends... I had to register my "baby" for Kindergarten today. I'd like to say I handled it like a big girl, but I'd be lying. I was a little bit weepy. I mean, she's my baby. I'm not ready. Somebody just SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. PLEASE.

And, if you see ole' "reality", smack it in the face from me.

T-Ball 2010

Let me begin by saying that T-Ball is my ABSOLUTE most favorite sport in the whole world. There is nothing better than watching REALLY young kids play a sport, but for some reason, T-Ball is the funniest. Somebody is ALWAYS picking flowers, and somebody ALWAYS runs to the wrong base, and somebody ALWAYS has to leave the field for a potty break. It's predictable, yet unpredictable all at the same time.

That being said, you can imagine my delight when Grace told me this year that she wanted to play T-Ball. I was truly happy, because after Grace finishes with T-Ball, there will be no more little blonde daughters for me to go and watch at the T-Ball fields. :-( I might have to just show up, purely for the free entertainment!!

Last night was Grace's first game for the Blue Rangers. She was fired up and ready to play! I realize I am horribly biased, but I do believe she was the cutest little T-Baller there.
Here she is, warming up before the game.
We don't even know which team won - I think it might have been a tie. I think BOTH teams won, because REALLY, everybody had fun.

But I'm not sure that ANYBODY had more fun than ME!!! :-)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to you and yours from me and mine! :-)Christ the Lord is risen today! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!

Grace's Easter Party

Wednesday was Grace's Easter Program and Egg hunt at Pre-School. Luckily, I was able to go because most of the program was during my planning time at school. As I was driving to her school, I suddenly had a flash of memory... "Oh, NO!!!!! I was supposed to send an Easter basket and a dozen eggs to school this morning, and I forgot to tell Luke about it!!!" (Because Luke was the one dropping her off at school.) I had remembered to tell him about the tray of cookies, but not about the basket and eggs. So, I pulled into the local dollar store and (luckily) they had pre-filled eggs and Easter baskets. I quickly purchased what I needed and continued on to school. When I got there, I learned that Luke had figured out once he GOT to pre-school that Grace was supposed to have a basket. He went back home and found a basket for her, so she wouldn't be sad. He wins the "Daddy of the Year" award!!!! The program was so cute. They sang their songs and did their Bible Verse and their letters and sounds. Then they had a volunteer come up to say the prayer, and my little Grace was the volunteer! She did so well. It was adorable.

I actually took a few pics (I know... you are surprised. Thank goodness for my i-phone! ha!) Here they are (in no particular order!)

Here is Grace with the fabulous JuJu, showing off one of her MANY eggs.
Here's Miss Grace at the Egg Hunt.
Here she is during the program. She made a pretty cute flower, I think!
And here is part of her class during the program. They did an outstanding job! We are so lucky to have a great pre-school like this in litle 'ole H-town!
Happy Good Friday, and Happy Easter! I hope it is wonderful, meaningful, and blessed for you all!