Let's Catch Up

This and the next few posts may be for the benefit of me and the fact that I have a few "let's catch up" phone calls that I should be returning but can't seem to come up with the time to.  (Sorry dad and sharon....and megan....here's what we have been doing the last few days.)

If you don't mind, I will let the pictures do most of the talking.....

The Wildcat has been playing ball.
When he is not playing ball, he is practicing ball.
When he is not doing that he is lifting weights at the school.
On his first week of summer break, he woke up early each morning to go for a run or lift weights and sometimes both. 
He is motivated.  Let's just say that during the school year...I have to wake him up.  Now, he is waking up on his own.  And waking me up too. 
Our "motivation seasons" are apparently flip-flopped.

Today I sent him off to Washington DC. 

I was forced to lay low with the camera....against my will, I might add. 
I didn't cry until I got in the car. 
Claire said "Don't me sad, mama." 
And I said I wasn't.  I'm just so proud.  I don't worry for him.  He's alright. 
It isn't that I do not want him to go.  I do.  He is going to have so much fun.
But letting him go is hard. 
And I'm finding that each time I do, it isn't getting easier. 


We ALSO.....celebrated a VERY SPECIAL birthday this week. 
Tookie is 9!!!!!

And did you know that 9 is half way to 18?
Tookie does.  She's very good at math, you know. 

I am not so good at math.  Maybe the right way to say it is that I just don't like math. 
I'm a visual kind of person.....so here is what I see when I think of math....
Se this jar with beads?

There are approximately 3,285 beads in this jar.
1 for every day for each day from now until she turns 18.
I take 7 out of the jar each week. 
And each week this is a reminder of how each day that I have with this little girl matters.  I mark them with a bead.  Sometimes I want to put all of the beads back and start over so I can do it better.  But I guess I will settle for the next three thousand.  And try my best to make each bead count.

In other news:
I'm busy.
If you call and I don't answer then I am working on stuff.
 Or I'm feeding people that call me "mom." 
Or...I might be trying to nap.
Or hide. 


Coming Soon to a Weekend Near You:
We will be hosting about a half a dozen 9 year olds for a sleepover.....all of which have a goal to not sleep.
And maintain a proper sugar high. 


AND:  WE ARE GOING TO A RED CARPET EVENT!

Marz is one of the young authors on the *click here:"Book By Me" *project that will be receiving some red carpet treatment this weekend at a chuch in the quad cities. 
She wants to wear this:

I'm so proud.
But I'll try not to cry.
....at least till I get in the car.