Firsts: First Grade and a First Born

Just like that, first AND second days of school have come and gone and I have yet to show the world my adorable and brilliant 1st grader on her first day.  Here we go now, ye shall wait no longer...

The staff at GCA will never possibly know how BLESSED we feel to be able to send her there each day.  This morning at dropoff it made my heart swell with gratitude to see a row of godly men lining the drop-off line, waving and smiling to welcome our kids to a new day.  Thankful to them for choosing to be part of a place where they would spend their next several hours (along with all of the other teachers busy inside their classrooms already) discipling and investing Jesus in them all in the same time they're investing in their education.  (I HAVE to add in here that she started CURSIVE on the FIRST DAY of 1st grade.  I geeked out a little about that one.  It was the lowercase e.  Which is doubly cool since there are three of those in her name.)  We are SO GRATEFUL for our school!

(a little timeline here... first days of Pre-K and Kindergarten.  It's such a gift to watch her grow...)

 

And on a completely different note, my new baby niece finally made her Facebook debut, which means I can finally show her off in my world too...

Truly there's never been a sweeter baby named Hadley Brooke brought in to this world!  Weighing in at a whopping 8 lbs and 22 inches long, she is the first born to my sister and her husband, and the 9th born Grandbaby to my Mom and late Dad.  In the words of her cousin Peyton... 'she gots WOTS a cussins'  (you got that, right?  say it JUST like it's spelled and you can get a hint of how adorable it was when she said it...)
 

 

There they are... Ages 8, almost 7, almost 6, 4, 4, 3, 1, 1, and 0.  And I'm just gonna keep it real here for a second...  9 kids under the age of 8 is sheer insanity.  Every time they're together.  It's. Just. Loud.  But it's LOTS of lovin' and sweetness too!  And we are taking suggestions for creative Christmas celebration options/venues.

Time to get my weekend on... 5 days to Hawaii, folks!