It’s been a big, frequently emotional week. From memories of September 11th to my grandfather’s funeral to Johnny and Emma starting school, there was a lot going on. Mike stayed home from work Thursday afternoon and all day Friday so I could make a very short trip to Utah to attend the funeral. I left Boston at 5pm Thursday, and returned at 9am Saturday. The service was beautiful, and it was very nice to see relatives I hadn’t been able to meet up with in years, as well as more distant relatives I had never met. Lily especially missed me, but she did enjoy an ice cream picnic with Daddy while I was gone!
Before I left, we enjoyed our final morning with our weekend visitors. I loved watching my kids play with their second cousins! They built an impressive teepee in our back yard. Or, they called it a teepee… The branches came from trees in our yard, which my two cousins helped Mike trim. The guys helped the kids build the teepee, too. It was hollow in the middle, and all of the kids could fit in there!
As life returned (temporarily) to normal, Lily spent a lot of time looking after babies of various shapes and sizes, and Emma started kindergarten. She was super pleased to bring home her first school library book!
I had to leave for Utah that afternoon. Johnny had a fever and missed the first day of preschool, so Mike got to do his first preschool drop-off for the year on Friday. He had a good time, and both kids are making new friends!
I cried my eyes out at the funeral, but managed to sing with my siblings and cousins most of the time I was supposed to. I spent Friday evening and night on three different planes, arriving home to this beautiful banner:
This week should be much calmer, and we are all looking forward to that!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
What an emotional week. I realized that I hadn’t seen an “Emma’s in kindergarten” post, so I went scouring tonight to find it. (Sorry, things are so busy here). I’m so jealous that she gets to check out library books. For whatever reason, the kindergarten kids at our school aren’t allowed to check out books (although they do have library time as one of their “specials”).
Things must be super busy for you! That is really too bad about your kids’ school not letting kindergarteners take out library books. It’s definitely a highlight of the week for both Emma and the little boy I drive to school most days.
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandfather but glad you were able to travel back to Utah for the service.
Great pictures! I love the one of Emma & her school library book! Aidan was excited about library day too! And the picture of Lily & her doll – Precious!!!
The picture of Lily and her baby is really amazing.
We had so much fun at your house!! My kids are still talking about it. I wish we were close enough to do it more frequently (within an hour of each other would be awesome!). :)
That WOULD be awesome! Thanks so much for making the long drive up here!!!
I love the picture with the dolls
I remember making tents like that every fall
LOVE the picture with her and the baby!! She is so beautiful!!
The week, in spite of your sad reason for travelling, sounded like fun for the kids!
I am sorry to hear that you have had such a tough week. I hope this week is kinder to you all.
Your welcome home banner must have made your heart swell. Gorgeous.
That is an impressive tepee. I bet your children and their second cousins made lots of playful memories in there.
What an emotional week. That picture of Lily is outstanding!
That does sound like a crazy week. I’m glad you made it to the funeral. I love the banner!
Wow, what a whirlwind week you had. I am sorry that you had to leave in the middle of the first K week and that Johnny was sick. It must have been pretty rough on Mike. How big is Emma’s class and, of course, thanks for joining Afterschool :)
There are 20 kids in Emma’s class. There were supposed to be 22, but two kids moved over the summer.
Mike did really well in my absence, and I think the “big” kids especially enjoyed their extra Daddy time!
What a week you had. Sorry for you loss. I love the pictures of your daughter, the one loving her doll and the other holding that library book. That welcome home banner is priceless.
Glad you were able to go to the funeral. What a beautiful banner to return home to!