Winston's shower

 The girls getting some grub.

 Great Gramma Unger

 Aunt Michele

 GG

GG with the girls.

Off to School

 Maria's teacher Mrs. Hickman at back to school night

 checking out the classroom library

 I'm in kindergarten.

 I'm in preschool(in a month)

 Wearing her star so her teacher can find her.

 Waiting in anticipation...

 here she comes.

 No looking back.

We have plenty to praise: knowing that Maria will do well in school and make some great friends.

boating

We have these great neighbors who have wanted to take us on a boat ride for some time, tonight as Anna and I were sitting eating our popcorn dinner in the front yard (she wanted to picnic) they came over to ask us if tonight was a good night to go out.  Even though Daddy was working the girls and I decided to have a boat ride.  What a perfect night for it.  The girls loved taking a turn at the wheel too.
Tomorrow I start my new job.  Back to work after 5 years off with the girls.  I will be a Title I assistant, which is really great because I don't have the planning or any kind of grading work to lug home.  It also is just 5.5 hours a day, leaving me enough time to get Maria on the bus and get home in time for her to get off.  I have mixed feeling about going back to work, but at this point it's really necessary for me to do something that brings in some income.  And if I am going to I want to do something that I love, which is working with kids.  We had planned for some time to homeschool the girls, which obviously won't work too well this year, but we'll see what the future holds for us.  Maria really has been challenging for me to deal with lately, so I am wondering if this is God's way of placing a bit of distance between us to allow the situation to become less intense.  Maybe I can actually enjoy her more in smaller doses, rather than 24/7.  She is at a very independent stage, which challenges her mama!  It does do my heart well to know that Maria is excited for school, knows and loves to read already, and has made acquaintances with some of her classmates already through church and VBS, and one girl lives two houses down.  It is also comforting knowing that Maria has a wonderful teacher, according to everyone that we have talked to. 

Anna is equally excited about her preschool starting in a month.  She told me that she will be riding a bus, in a very adamant tone!  She did great all week at VBS, even with me as her teacher.  She played well with others, and had an overall great time.

We have plenty to praise God for; our new routine and God placing things in motion for a great year!

Mommy's taking us to the zoo tomorrow....

Okay, maybe you don't know that song, but the girls like it and I think of it every time we talk about the zoo.  I think it's Raffi, at least it's on one of his CD's.
Anyhow, we had told Anna back in may we would go to the zoo(Fort Wayne Children's) at some point for her birthday, and have her cousins go with us.  So, it finally worked out for our schedule and they were able to meet us.  We had a fun, hot, day!

 driving the jeep on a safari!

Anna actually did touch the black rat snake, Maria not so much!

 camping cousins!

 I love the giraffes

 Gotta have a picture with little poof!  That thing has been there forever.

 Anna and Everly playing peek-a-boo!

 crazy cousins!

 ah, relaxing on the log ride

 such a sweetheart!

 They had to climb on every statue in the zoo!

 Riding the train!

We also made sure to stop and meet our newest nephew/cousin.  My brother and his wife have been trying to adopt for over a year now and we are elated to welcome Winston into the family!

We have plenty to praise God for; new and not so new cousins!