Merry Christmas 2020!

Merry Christmas 2020!

Mary Did You Know

Luke singing

"Mary Did You Know"

We met our church videographer 

at our church this past week 

so Luke could record a song 

to be played for the Sunday morning service.

Luke chose "Mary Did You Know."

And he wore his daddy's Nativity tie.

He did such a great job! 

As usual, I am proud of my boy! 

I videoed it as well and that is what's posted here.

My version isn't as good as the professional one

but it's what I have available so I hope you enjoy it!

Luke is 18!

Luke Edward Shelton,

otherwise known as my baby boy,

is 18 years old today!

It is astonishing 

how fast 

this 

day 

arrived.

Happy Birthday to my Luke!

I love you!

Always have.

Always will.

Love,

Mama

“Hallelujah”

              Luke Shelton covering part of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.

                                    I love listening to my boy play and sing!  

 

 

Mama is 77!

 My mama is 77 today!

My children, my sister, my brother-in-law, and I 

visited her at her nursing home window on Saturday

and took her the ice cream cake she has been wanting.

She loved it!

Today, I was able to have a short outdoor, 

socially distanced visit with her.   

I took her a chocolate cake and flowers. 

It was COLD outside so we weren't out there long.

She went inside and I stayed at her window for 2 more hours.

And it got colder.

But I had a couple of coats so I stayed.

After all, a person only turns 77 once!

Happy Birthday, Mama!

(photos from both visits 

and some from the inside that staff took and sent to me)

Anna's First Day Of Second Grade!

 Today is another first

but also a second.

It is my Anna's second first day

of second grade.

I was Anna's teacher for her first day of second grade.

I do not have photos of that first day but I know

Wesley was 2 years and 5 months old then and

I was 6 months pregnant with Luke.

And since I was sick the ENTIRE 9 months with Luke,

I'm sure I was in pajamas and Anna probably was, too!

But today.

Today is Anna's first day of second grade

when she is the teacher!

My Anna is a second grade teacher!

(And that 2 year old Wesley is a junior in college 

and that unborn baby Luke is a high school senior).

I am now the mother of a school teacher!

And, as always, I am so proud of my Anna!

Her first day today will be studying curriculum and doing things online.

She will be in the classroom shadowing other teachers tomorrow

and she will be in her own classroom next week

(at least I think that's the plan).

Anna found the prettiest rental house in the town where she will teach.

We went to see the house on Sunday and met the owners.

We all loved it! 

She decided she wanted it and she signed the lease yesterday. 

We will get her all moved in over the next couple of weeks.

In preparation, we spent an entire day going through buildings 

to see what furniture I have that she can use.

I had many.

In fact, she will use my very first kitchen table that I ever owned

and so many other pieces that I have been cleaning, sanding down 

and painting the colors she wants

as we get ready to move her into her own home.

Those pieces have memories (for me) of times

when I lived on my own before I was married,

times with my Rob,

jobs I have held over the years,

and of my babies.

I am happy those pieces will be renewed and

be a part of her memories of her first home without roommates.

And, 

speaking of memories...

My Anna getting a teaching job has brought back many, many memories 

of my first year of teaching elementary school

but, more than that, it has brought back memories of my Anna's first days.

I've written about many of Anna's firsts on this blog

and one post in particular has some of my favorite memories

of those days and some of my favorite photos.

So, on this first official day 

of my Anna being a second grade teacher in 2020,

I am reposting that blog post I wrote in 2013 

about my memories of some of Anna's special first days!

I was proud of her then

and

I am proud of her now.

And I know every parent always says this 

but,

from then to now,

sure did all go by fast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Anna's 1st Day - Then and Today

I stopped teaching elementary school when Anna was born.  In fact, my last teaching day was a Friday.  Labor Day was that Monday.  And Anna was born that Tuesday.  But that break only lasted until Anna started Kindergarten.  I homeschool my children.  I have since September 10, 2001, Anna's first day of Kindergarten.  However, I send them to other teachers for things I know better than to try and teach them (like Chemistry - ugh!)!  

I will not start my official homeschool year until after Labor Day but today is Anna's first day of class.  

It is her first day of her senior year.

That, to me, is so hard to believe.

Because, to me, she is still the little girl I remember starting her first day of preschool.

And because, to me, she is still the little girl that I started teaching in her Kindergarten year way back in September 2001.  

Having already lived and watched as one daughter, Crystol, graduated from high school and having gone through all of the work that comes with getting a daughter into college, moving her in and out of dorms and apartments, and having watched with pride as she completed college, I know what today - Anna's 1st day of her senior year - brings.  

It means I have done my job getting her this far.

But it also means it is the beginning of the end of my time with my daughter.

However, even though she is driving herself to her classes and she is moving further away from me (as it should be in the order of life), my Anna will NEVER be away from the part of my heart that only she occupies.