The Atienza 6: Beginning of the End

This post has been in the making for about 2 months now. I decided it was time to finally post. As I have sat reflecting about where we are in life as a family and the state of our country's economy it has caused me to remember why we are here and what our jobs are. I am not talking about the jobs that support our family but about the JOB that we were called to do by our Creator. At this point in my life the job I have been called to do is to be a wife, first and foremost and secondly being a mom. No amount of education, even from the most renouned schools could ever prepare someone for the job so many of us have been called to do. And like most jobs in this world the more time you put in the more responsibility you gain, more stress and more accomplishments.

As the title of the post states this year in the beginning of so many endings for our family. We'll start with Than. Than will be ending his career as an elementary student. He will begin his career as an Middle Schooler. Did you read that right, yes, I said MIDDLE SCHOOL! How can that be, I was just taking him to kindergarten a couple months ago. With middle school comes a whole new life so I'm told by people who are already experiencing it. Can we stop the clock now?! I don't want to go any farther and let my kids get any older.

Dani, as you will see, she no longer has all her baby teeth. I never realized what losing teeth really means. Once you start losing teeth naturally it's one step closer to losing your babies. This is the last year that she will be with me for at least part days. Dani will start 1st grade next year. As excited as I get for my kids to start school it's also a very sad time. One more year gone.

Gretchen, she is turning into such a big girl. He love of learning is growing by leaps and bounds. She is so much fun to be with. I love listening to her talk. The way she pronounces words in her little voice is changing, and she is sounding more and more like Dani, this means that we are coming to the end of her little girleness and becoming a big girl(only in attitude though, she is still very much my little girl in stature). She is growing up too, way too fast I might ad. Gretchen will start school 1/2 days this fall.

Becca has and will continue to have to most "endings" this year. We have quit nursing at 2, major transition for both of us. I said I would never nurse a child that could ask for it. All I can say about that is, NEVER say never. We have transitioned out of the crib into a big girl bed and we will be potty training in the next week. Getting rid of so many things all at once I think is harder on me than it is on her. I'm holding on to so many things with Becca that I never did with the other 3 kids because I know that all these things are things that I will never get to experience again. It's a real life confirmation that my babies are growing up. That this is the beginning of the end of my babies and on to bigger and yes better challenges. Last night when I called Becca my baby she very quickly corrected me that she is not my baby she's Becca.

the last picture with all her baby teeth

the first of many teeth to lose

One of the few times I've had her fall asleep on me since we moved her into her room (she slept with me for the first year).

Becca's first shiner. She tripped in the driveway and skinned up her face. It bruised up her forehead and down her nose. She's such a tough little girl, she barely cried.