HHS Senior Junior Prom 2012

like a sparkle of sun peeking through a cloud

like the lingering moments of a rainbow

suddenly the year is frighteningly close to being

over.

these kiddos have made my heart sing, 

as their 

REAL 

momma

and for some as

the momma of their heart

it was a beautiful night.

knowing that SOMEHOW 

i have to pick myself up 

and

dust myself off come next month

THIS photo takes front and center on my desk as 

the gentle reminder that our life here has been 

very  very blessed!

umarmen und lieben

(more photos to follow)

essie

hugs love and thanks!

"little miss" has been
happily
living at home in the country
for 5 days now!

happy happy days for our family
xoxoxoxox to all
essie

prayers to bring her home

in a blink
life changes...Evie made it 15 minutes from the house before an Apnea hit.
the next 20+ minutes were a blurry design of
parental fear
lights
ambulances passing on a country road to transfer
a now 7 pound miracle from one to the other

doctors and nurses in our community hospital
trying and trying to find a PIT line point

less air
and then her brave daddy started to sing
our family lullaby
Byne Bye,,,,Byne Bye,,,, stars shining

and she calmed down

45 minutes of lullaby
before she took a helicopter ride back
with a nurse who knows her like her
parents do

back.

in His infinite wisdom, G-d got her outside
for the first time today
and then
back to the hospital
i am grateful for the tender mercy
He showed our family and my beautiful
little niece tonight

and
if it's not too much to ask
make the next 10 days
easy ones for her
and the parents who are desperate to
have her home

please.

william shakespeare...gotta hand it to you!

"...and though she be but little, she is fierce."

welcome home, with all our love, sweet darling niece
Evie Bee aka "Lucky Bee"

YAYAYAYAYAYYAYYYYYYY!!!!

april showers bring may flowers...right?

everyone reading knows that birthdays are among my favorite things
birthdays for OTHER people that is-
my birthday
usually hits smack dab in the middle of some natural disaster OR standardized testing week.

not the best name, Esther, for a close to Easter baby...
that was 3rd grade and the year the all the boys in my class
(a few girls too)
renamed me "Easter Egg Esther"

lovely

this birthday hasn't begun any differently...waaay too much drama
when all i really wanted was
one day
reading magazines in the sun
giving kids money to spend on overpriced food
maybe
just maybe
a little sunburnt by the time to go home.

instead
I'm a slave to my computer...
rewriting a decade old handbook

"good times" she yells from the stands
i can always hope for next year, right?

6 more and then the dogs are the winners

last year, the hunt for the money egg lasted over 5 hours.
OBurtonH was wrecked searching our tiny apartment with Biggers, Wee, and BenBen
no egg here
no egg there
until finally
Biggers found the egg
well after OBurtonH went home

it was a very funny morning

this year we weren't let down
although Biggers, understanding that a message HAD to be part of the Easter Bunny's plan,
took his searching prowess to a higher level.

(see he IS college material!!)

motivated
he kept looking until
22 minutes into Easter Morning
the money egg was his.

 "BS" says BenBen...and...with that the announcement
"I can't wait till next year when you aren't here!"
even Biggers had to laugh

Wee...she sat and watched, as the hunt for Gold hasn't been her lucky point
and
seeing her brothers
competing
(climbing over furniture, washing dishes to check the dishwasher, feeding the dogs to check the dog food...you can picture this now, can't you?!!)
is more than enough money egg for her

next year...Biggers will be in the states
teaching his cousin
Lucky Bee
how to find the dough...

boy am I hoping that my brother and his wife have their $$ saved!

Good Pesach and Happy Easter to everyone we love-
the sun is rising on a beautiful day!
umarmen und lieben,
essie

what is it?

April Fools Day naturally!

so.
outdoor soccer season is in full force
so are tree allergies
and
bad attitudes

what is it about thinking that something is YOURS if you haven't
EARNED
it?

puzzles me...
competition aside, when I was in high school
(a zillion years ago, i realize)
we-student athletes-knew what the requirements were for participating
you had to make a 2.5 GPA
period
we didn't get
"a day off to make sure we had grades" prior to playing that weekend
we had the grades
simple concept...
what are we doing for our kiddos
by
doing everything for them?
i wonder...what is it?

essie