These Little Moments...

How is it possible that I have a child in the 1st Grade?? On August 13th, my little girl stepped into the role of first-grade student . It has now been two weeks since school started for Gracie, and she's loving it. One of my greatest hopes for her is that she'll always have a love for learning. Sean and I are so happy that she has Mrs. Swaim this year - we have loved all of Gracie's teachers since her first preschool year, but Mrs. Swaim has so many qualities that make her an all-around good fit for Gracie's learning style and personality. Our girl is still timid, but she continues to gain confidence and I know this year will give way to even more growth.  It's been so interesting to watch Gracie's progress in all subjects. She seems a lot more like Sean when it comes to Math (working everything out in her head), but is also doing very well with reading. We have started reading The Little House on the Prairie books together - I read while she listens, then...

On Monday, we were able to spend the entire day together (no work for Sean!). We started the morning off right with fruit-filled crepes at an amazing breakfast place that Sean had been to on a previous trip. Mine were filled with bananas and strawberries, with a Belgian chocolate sauce on top. Sean's were the fruit-explosion crepes, so there was literally an explosion of fruit on his plate. Delicious! Following breakfast, we took a short drive outside the city to visit Montmorency Falls Park - home to a 272' waterfall (99' taller than Niagara Falls!). It was just stunning. Visitors could ride a cable car to the top of the waterfall, but Sean and I were feeling adventurous and climbed the steps instead... Once we reached the top, we were able to cross the suspended bridge overlooking the falls. The view was breathtaking. This photo was taking looking down from the bridge. We walked the entire trail, enjoying nature along the way...

On Sunday, our first full day in Quebec, Sean had to travel to a nearby city for work. He worked a very long, 12-hour day, which gave me the opportunity to explore all on my own. It was so much fun! Quebec City has low crime rates, is well cared for and full of friendly people. When I attempted to order coffee and a scone for breakfast, the barista was kind enough to help me figure out what I wanted, since I could not read the menu. I then walked aimlessly until I ended up at the Artillery Park. There I found a shaded bench overlooking this historical site. The structures were built in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, yet still stand strong. For the next couple of hours, I just walked. I walked up and down street after street, taking the city in. I enjoyed stopping to take pictures and stepping into the shops. It was a new experience for me, being alone in a new place, in a different country. At first I was intimidated, but I quickly discovered that my personal...

Sean and I just returned from our 4-day getaway to Quebec City. Sean has been several times now for work-related purposes and returns home each time expressing his love for this Canadian city. We've been hoping that I might have the chance to join him on one of these trips. The opportunity did arise in May, but we decided to postpone at the last minute. When we arrived at the airport, we discovered that our flight out of Greensboro had been cancelled. We had already been feeling torn because Sean's grandfather had just passed away and we needed to be back in the United States for the funeral. Adjusting our return flight to an earlier date was proving to be a costly problem, and we both knew our hearts would be staying home anyway. Just a couple of weeks after Sean’s grandfather’s death, my own grandfather passed away during our visit to see him. It was an upsetting few weeks, to say the least. I felt emotionally wrecked and exhausted in every way. I’m still not sure I'...

Ethan Reid, Three years ago, we welcomed you into our family. Some of my most precious memories were created on the day you were born. I can still remember so clearly watching Gracie as she approached you for the first time, calling you “handsome” and touching you gently. I was a mother before you arrived, but on your birth day, I became a mother to my son . Since your birth, I've learned that this is a relationship unlike any other. You are an incredible little boy, and you bring laughter and happiness to each and every day. Your personality continues to develop, but you are a child that is just so filled-to-the-brim with life and energy. You are friendly, outgoing, and affectionate. You offer your tiny hand when meeting someone new, and give the best kisses and hugs when saying good-bye. You are a joyful child, and it is contagious. You and I often visit a local retirement home, to spend time with Ms. Eileen, our former neighbor. The elderly folks just adore you and ...

My dearest Gracie, I feel so very grateful to be celebrating this 6 th birthday with you! God certainly blessed our family when He decided that we should be your parents. You are such a special little girl, with so many wonderful qualities. It has been a true joy to watch you grow into the little lady you now are. You are such a beautiful soul – a mix of quiet and shy, wild and sassy. You are a wonderful student and friend, and I always hear from others how sweet you are. You set yourself free at home, which I love, and transform into this wild, imaginative ninja-princess, which is just the coolest thing ever. You and your brother play together so well, most of the time. I absolutely love watching the two of you run and chase each other in the backyard, creating your own little imaginary worlds. You are 6 going on 16, for sure. We have our moments and I’m learning just how to handle your moods. I’m discovering that you are simply your own person, with your own emotions, though...

This almost-six-year-old celebrated her birthday on Saturday! Instead of a big party, including friends, family, and classmates, Gracie decided she'd like something smaller, with just a couple of her best friends. We made appointments for the girls to have manicures and pedicures, Gracie's first time! We then took the three girls to lunch, and ended our party time at Gigi's Cupcakes, where we sang Happy Birthday and opened gifts. The two other mothers stayed and hung out with me, so it worked out really well and was kind of like a Mother/Daughter get-together, too! It was fun watching the girls get pampered! Gracie chose a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake! YUM!