Whirlwind

The girls finished their last days of school last week.

My head is still spinning.

On Monday, Allie’s rainforest creature family project was due.  The assignment was to create something made entirely from recycled materials found in our home.  So we yanked stuff out of our recycling trash can, found an empty bottle of detangling spray, sacrificed a plastic ball from the kids’ old ball pit, and after Daddy hot-glued the head and straw antennae on, I cut out the cardboard wings and covered them with foil, Allie added all the artistic flair… and ta-da!  Allie’s “Cameleo-fly”.  Combination cameleon-butterfly.  Pure awesomeness.

Also, I got an email Sunday night proclaiming Monday to be “Country Western Day” so could the kids please come to school dressed in their country western duds?  Um.  Country western duds?!

So we dug out a pair of jeans and a jean shirt and called it a day.

: /

Wednesday was Allie’s class party.  A 2-hour ordeal.  I went with the other three kids in tow and tried to help out as best I could.  No pictures.  Ordeal.  (But the kids had a great time).

Thursday was Allie’s last day of school!  And the ONE time I didn’t hear my alarm this whole year and overslept.  As did Allie.  Until 8:08.  We have to leave the house by 8:25.  Allie was still a little dazed and confused by the time we rushed off to school.

But she recovered nicely and enjoyed her last day as a first grader.  And even got a last hug in at the end of the day before hopping in to the van.

Which had a special surprise waiting for her.  Along with a special “School’s out/summer’s here!” playlist blaring inside.

Let’s just pretend her balloon doesn’t say, “Happy Birthday” on it, ok?  Thank you.  Also, she chose a Happy Meal as her last-day-of-school treat.

Then it was inside because there were cookies that needed to be baked! 

Because then it was Friday and with it came Lauren’s farewell preschool party.  With these three in tow.

There’s our girl now!

Singing their little rainbow song.

A last picture with her teacher.

And a last goodbye hug.

And a last hug for her other teacher, too.

Aw look, someone made mini rainbow cupcakes for the Rainbow class.  So. Cute.

She’s done with preschool, folks!  🙂

She made it!  And so did her mom!

It was for sure a whirlwind of a week and there was hardly any time to feel sad over my babies growing up or to feel proud of my girls for braving their separate schools alone this year.  But now, two days into summer, I’m left just feeling thankful for God’s faithfulness in bringing us all through this school year and for the many ways He has blessed us in it.

Also that I have a full year before I have to survive another last week of school again.

Because, whew.