It's over...

*Oops...didn't realize I had saved this as a draft last week. Sorry!

I'm through.

I'm finished.

I'm done.

I have officially completed all of the requirements for my Associate of Arts degree from Paris Junior College!! Woo Hoo!!!!

**Paris Junior College has one graduation ceremony in May of each year. Students who completed degree or certificate requirements in the fall semester and students who anticipate completing requirements in either the spring or a summer semester are encouraged to participate in the ceremony. **

Well...that's what I did. When I finished the spring semester, I still had to take a visual/performing arts class and three hours of electives. It just so happens that during the mini-mester Theatre Appreciation and Music Appreciation were both offered. Let me tell ya, those classes were kinda hard! Not the content so much as the amount of work due. Theatre Appreciation had a chapter due every day, and THREE tests per chapter!! Music was one test per chapter, due every other day.

My poor family hasn't been this neglected since I started school. I feel like I have spent the last 3 weeks glued to the end of the couch, with the laptop as a permanent appendage to my body. I have never been so glad to complete a course in my life.

Now if PJC would just mail my diploma...

Shhh! Listen...

Jeff mowed the yard this evening, and the kids played outside in the sprinkler while I took four tests for my online classes. We headed to Greenville about 9:15 pm for a late night drive-thru dinner. Matt and Mallory were both asleep by the time we hit Wesley Street, so dinner was a lot cheaper than we had anticipated. :oD

It's now a little after 11, and everyone is settled in for the night. Mitchell is upstairs watching a movie, Matt is snoring on a blanket in the living room floor, Mallory is snoring (lady-like, of course) in Jeff's recliner, and Jeff is snoring on the couch.

Listening to these precious sounds does my heart good. Knowing that all of my family is safe and sound, warm and well-fed (for the most part--LOL) gives me a greater feeling of comfort than eight hours of sleep would.

The best sounds are those of a happy home!!

Mitchell

My firstborn will be a teenager tomorrow.

My sweet, precious little baby is now a sweet, precious teenager.
When did that happen?
In the blink of an eye.

My tiny little preemie is now taller than me.
When did that happen?
Sometime between football season and track season.

My polite, respectful little boy is now a polite and respectful young man.
When did that happen?
Over the last 4748 days.

If I had known that the last time I picked up Mitchell and held him in my arms was going to be the last time, I would have held on so much tighter...and never let go.

Mitchell is every parent's dream. He is such an incredible kid. He is the best big brother in the world. Matthew and Mallory adore him. He is the one they go to when they are injured--in body or in spirit. He can always make everything better for them. He is the one Jeff and I call on whenever we need something, and the one we rely on waaaaaaay more than we should. He is always willing to help out anyone in need, and never says no when he is asked to lend a hand.

It's a mystery why the Lord chose to bless me with Mitchell, but there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not grateful, and humbled to be his mother. Sometimes just the thought of how fortunate I am absolutely takes my breath away.

Thank You, Lord, for trusting us with this amazing life. Thank You for blessing us every minute of every day with this child. Thank You for the opportunity to witness Mitchell's spiritual walk with You, and to watch him live his life for You. God, You are so good.
Amen, and amen, and amen.

Baseball and Bobble-heads

Matthew had a t-ball game tonight. He loves to play, and he's really good at hitting the ball. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much interest in fielding...which can be a problem, since he plays right field. He spends most of his time dancing, spinning, and chatting with his coach. An odd thing that Jeff and I have noticed since Matt started playing ball is that he doesn't run. I don't just mean that he doesn't run fast, I mean he doesn't run. He kind of shuffles along with his head down...it's very odd. I know that he can run, he and Mallory race around all the time. Tonight I realized that the reason he isn't running is because of his helmet. I think he's afraid that it's going to fall off, or he's going to fall over. No matter how much we talk to him before the game about running as fast as he can, he just continues to shuffle around the bases like a little bobble-head. And you know what? My little bobble-head scored a run tonight!!

In The Beginning...

I guess this makes it official...I am now a blogger. This is something I have wanted to do for quite a while, but have managed to talk myself out of it countless times. I've always had some excuse for not pursuing this project, but today I am committing! (or maybe I should just be committed?) I love reading other blogs, and I always think of things I could post about, but somehow I never manage to actually WRITE any of it down. Well, that's all about to change!!