Kindergarten Thanksgiving Celebration

Yesterday was Reagan's Kindergarten Thanksgiving program.  All 120 Kindergarteners were up on stage and sang 11 songs together.  They also passed the microphone around to each kid and they got to say one thing they are thankful for.  Lots of "Mommy", "toys", "my teacher", "my friends", etc.  So sweet.  My precious kiddo said "GOD."  Made me cry.  Here she is waving at me when she found me in the crowd of parents.

 She also was chosen for a speaking part between songs:

"Thanksgiving time is almost here... let's give a great big cheer!" 

It was way cute with her speech impedement... she still can't say her Rs.  :)

I got it on video, but it is 30 minutes long... not gonna post here.

 Here's her friend Will who also got to say a line.  Cutie.

 My little turkey. 

Still smiling it up while the girl in front of her... was not.  Poor baby.

 Then we Room Moms presented their Thanksgiving Feast in their classroom.  Here are the Mayflower centerpieces (my friend's idea).  Totally lost on the 5 year olds, but the grownups liked them! 

 R's placemat.

 The FEAST.

 Silly goose.

 I love my job.



Angelic

I leaned in to kiss my 5 year old goodnight; as she lovingly held my cheeks in her precious hands, she informed me that "when I hold you like this, Mommy, you look just like a bulldog."

That one had to be documented, of course.



Highlight of Our Day

Rainbows are way cooler when you have little girls.  They were just giddy!

Reagan said, "Unicorns aren't real.  But if I WAS a unicorn, I could ride on that rainbow."

And that is reason 2,987 why I love my life.  :)

Bless Her Heart

I don't mean that title in a Southern "bless her heart" sort of way, but in a literal sense.  Today I am praying for God to bless my little Reagan's tender heart.  I have to write down this story so I have it to tell her later, reminding her of God's continued work in her little 5 year old self.
~
A few weeks ago, Reagan told me about a classmate of hers named Ryan.  That she really liked Ryan, thought he was a fun kid, but that other kids didn't seem to like him.  She said "Ryan is bigger than everyone else, and everyone calls him 'fat.'"  I asked her how she thought that made Ryan feel, and she told me, "he always seems to laugh about it, so it must be ok."  We talked then about how it made me wonder how Ryan felt on the inside... she decided that maybe he wasn't laughing inside.  So... I began the process of passing down the talk that my Granddaddy gave my Daddy, and my Daddy gave to me, about seeking out those kids that have no friends... being nice to the kid that no one is nice to... reminding her that Jesus thinks everyone is special and needs to be loved.  AND, God made her a very friendly kid who gets along with lots of people... maybe she could be Ryan's close friend.

So, she comes home from school THAT DAY all excited.

"Mommy, we got new tables today.  And GUESS WHO is now sitting next to me at my table?!  RYAN!"

I don't find that a coincidence.  :)

So, she talks about Ryan a lot.  Not sure how the other kids are treating him, hasn't come up lately, but I know that he and Reagan are friends.  And that makes me smile.

This morning, while I was frantically fixing her hair because we have like 90 seconds before we had to leave for school, she tells me, "Mommy, Ryan told me yesterday that he doesn't believe in Jesus.  He doesn't believe in God either.  Doesn't believe in ANYTHING."  I asked her what they were talking about when he told her this, and she just said she said something about church and how she loves Jesus, and then he offered that he didn't believe any of that stuff.  I panicked.  I totally did.  Do I want my 5 year old and her five year old faith to be the bible beater at school!?  How does that even work!?  What do I tell her to say!?  We don't even have time to talk about this, we're running late!  I totally am not prepared for this conversation!  Blah blah blah... so I ask her if we can pray for Ryan right now, and in true Reagan-fashion, she says "SURE."  So, I held her hands and we prayed that God would find special new ways to show himself to Ryan.  That Ryan would someday soon realize that God is the true God and Jesus is His Son.  And that Reagan could be a good friend and example to Ryan.  I finish the prayer, and she says, "Cool.  Thanks, Mom."  And she just goes about her business to get to school.

~

Man, what amazing lessons I learn from this whole Mommy-gig.  He put a tender heart in my Reagan... a heart that is being molded and shaped to love others.  Lord, today and everyday, I thank you for loving me enough to make me her Mommy.  Thank you for the chance to pray with her for her friends... and help me to be expectant of more times like today.  Precious moments where I have no other ideas or not enough time or whatever it may be, and I am forced to just pray.  Thank you for sitting Ryan next to her so that they could have this conversation... and she could bring it to me... and we could bring it to You.  I am so humbled and so thankful.  Please Lord, continue to draw Reagan closer to you each day, grow her faith.

~

She is just so beautiful, inside and out.  Bless her little heart. 

HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween!

It's so much fun!

We had a great time

With Thing2 and Thing1!

 Our cousin, Brady, was The Cat in The Hat.  So of course, we had to take some photos.  As he hugged them for the pic he said, "Come here, my little helpers!" 

 Reagan's BFF from school, Amory.  Little 50's diner waitress!

 Outside at the carnival, they had this long, bouncy, obstacle race thing.  Reagan eagerly hopped in line, and I wasn't real sure how it was gonna go over... she was the smallest kid doing it.

 And this is at the very end... climbing the wall to slide down.  Notice, she is totally kicking the hiney of that other big boy she raced against.  Now, OF COURSE it is not all about winning... but wow. :)

 BIG HUGS for Melissa.  Brooklyn LOOOOOOVES Melissa.  :)  I'm sure Melissa equally loved getting up close and personal with Brooklyn's cotton candy mouth...

 One of Brooklyn's other favorite people ever... her teacher, Mrs. Allison.  She would gladly trade me in for either of these ladies, for sure.  :)

 This was the Mad Scientist show at the carnival.  B was a little freaked out at first, so I was talking her into how "silly" it was.  I personally love Reagan and Brady in the top left... Brady thinks it's hilarious and Reagan is trying not to freak out.  :)

 This was Thursday at preschool for their party and costume parade.  Brooklyn was WOWed by Nathaniel's Thomas costume, and Nathaniel didn't really recognize Brooklyn at all.  :)

 I loved just seeing her at play in her classroom!

 My baby girl and me.

 I put this one not because it is a great picture, per se, but because a few months ago Brooklyn could not sit herself in a chair like this!  Now, no sweat.  Again, TAKE THAT Spina Bifida!

 Getting ready to decorate pumpkins.

 Yummy SPOOKY breakfast food!

 Her sweet friends Batgirl and Leo.  :)

 Goober.

 Best shot of Brooklyn EVER.

There, that's better.

 Her brave teacher gave her glitter...

 This one makes me happy because of the look of PURE JOY and AWE Brooklyn has for Mrs. Allison.

 Her class!  Minus one girl that was sick....  Brooklyn LOVED the Leo costume the most.  Still talking about it.

 Brook's other teacher extraordinaire... Mrs. Kristen.  Whose head I accidentally cut off in this picture..... sorry!

 Natalie and Nathaniel in the parade

 Check out Brook's excitement over this trick or treat stop in the parade!

Yesterday while R was at school, Brooklyn got her turn to paint a pumpkin.  She still shows ambidexterity... not sure which hand will prevail.

 She was SO into her painting.  Kept telling me "I gonna paint circles round and round and round, K?!"  But the entire thing was covered in these lines when finished... so pretty.  :)

 Trick or Treating!

Ran out of blue spray, so we just went with the feathers.  Made for MUCH easier clean up last night... bonus.  Good times for this Momma: one of the men that came to the door with candy asked them to wait so he could get his wife to come see how cute they were.  :)

 Caught Reagan mid BUST on these steps!  :) :) :)  She was fine.

 Brooklyn didn't bust... they were just too steep with no rail to hold, so crawling up was necessary.  Who woulda thought my little SB kiddo would be climbing steps to front porches and trick or treating at 2 years old?!  God is so good.

 Pat the pumpkin before we go...

 And random... last night, B was drinking some juice while I changed her diaper and dropped the cup on her right eye.  Tried to get a pic of her first semi-black eye, but you can't really see it.  It definitely looks nice and purple today! 

Hope everyone enjoyed the festivities as much as we did!!
How in the WORLD is it November already?!
Reagan asked me this morning, "Why did October leave so fast?!"