Day 446 ~ Surviving the First Day of Kindergarten!

I SURVIVED THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN!!!  WooOO HooOO!! 

All ready for her
first day.

Hold the fort!  I'm sure you think I should be saying that Calley survived Kindergarten... NOPE!  I Had it right to begin with.  I survived the first day of school!

Let me start by saying that leading up to the first day of school my plate was full.  I had commitments with my church, family and starting a new company {for my husband and brother in law.}  

Was this done as happenstance?  or Was it mere coincidence?  or Did I sub-consciously keep myself occupied {so I wouldn't have to think about it} ?  

I will continue by saying that it wasn't until yesterday morning that "it" hit me.  Shortly after waking up and in the middle of my new Sunday routine I realized what day it was... it was the day before school was to start.

This was no ordinary day by any means... quite the contrary... a very special day at that... this was to be the first day of Kindergarten for Calley.  

I had the pride and privilege to have taken my first baby to his first day of school, yet was not allowed to be there for my second baby... which still breaks my heart ... so now with Calley...

Was told to go to the sticker
wall because she arrived
on time.

Calley, Ethan's mom, Ethan and
the rest of their table.

My poor Calley... hehehe... [everything I didn't get to do with my sons I make sure I do it with her] ... I am not going to miss any of her special moments...

Before, during and after dropping her off for her first day at school... I kept holding back my tears.  I didn't want to spoil her day nor give her the impression that I was sad.  The moment I felt tears creeping upon me I would look at my daughter's beautiful happy face.  

By the end of the day yesterday she kept telling me, "mommy, don't worry.  I am going to have a good day.  I am going to make new friends too!  I am not scared. I'll be okay."  ...  Calley wasn't scared, just a few First Day of School butterflies in the tummy.  

There she is!! Finally the day was over.

Telling Grandma about her
day at school.

Sharing with Daddy about
her day.

A couple of times I caught myself... and after I dropped her off... for the next six and a half hours... I did laundry... made Calley's bed all pretty... ironed... and decided to take a little nap... oh and I even went on an errand before picking Calley up... all that and I was the second mommy in line to pick up her baby.  I was fifteen minutes early.

All I knew was the first thing is I wanted to know all about her day!

It was no surprise to me when Calley jumped into the car chatting away 100+mph if that's at all possible! lol! - with little girls it is!  I couldn't even get a word in.. I had to pull over.  Seriously!

Calley slow down... take a deep breathe and listen to me a moment... did you have a good day?  now answer me slowly....

It was the sweetest thing listening to her sweet voice tell me about her day and what the teacher taught today, which on the first day it is more a getting to know everything, a familiarizing of sorts...  

Calley's face lit up while she was telling me about her day.  She couldn't wait to get to her Grandma and Grandpa's, tell her Daddy and share with her uncles.  

I knew it!  I thought I was going to get through this day tear free... yet the pictures finally got to me. 

Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire.  ~William Butler Yeats

I am second..

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 371 ~ {Life's} Choices

Have you ever caught yourself thinking {or saying} ... "if I only knew _20_ {fill in number of years here- wink, wink} years ago what I know today..."   

We've all made choices in our lives, which directly or indirectly brought us to where we sit today.  

It's true. 

Think about it.

I'm not saying that 20 years ago I made the decision to live in Texas today - actually I would've thought you were nuts if you would have told me that back then.

What I am saying is that one decision led to another... which then led to another... then another... and so on... until ... here I am!  wink, wink.

As babies, choices are made for us... however, there comes a day when we start making our own choices...  that would have been the ideal time to have been told what I know today.  ;)

Boy!  Wouldn't that have been nice?  All the heartache I could have avoided...  Not that I would change much... I would just be smart about it all.  All the great choices I could have made... I guess that's where all the would of, could of, should of(s) come in.

NO!  That's looking back... I choose to only look forward and only look to the past for lessons learned.

As I have written over and over again...  I have learned a lot this year.  I mean I really got it!  Life is a choice.  Even your attitude is a choice.  Let me tell you that it's not easy either.

It takes "work" having a happy life.  Yes, you heard me right.  Another thing I have learned.

As a survivor of depression it is very easy for me to fall.  For me, when I am at a crossroads of sorts, I have learned that it is easy to fall into old habits.  (habits = being sad, negative, tired, unproductive... etc...}

So ... I have two choices ... withdraw into old habits ... OR ... focus on the positive and leave the rest to God.

I choose the latter.

The work in all of this is looking for the positive... oh I know... it isn't always easy... HOWEVER (and that's a BIG however- lol) I already know what the former gets me ... and I do not like it.  I do not like being miserable or unhappy... SO DONE WITH IT!  

After all... we only get one chance at this thing called life.  Right?

{and} With that said ... 

I choose to be happy the rest of my life. 

The choices I will make from here on, will be made with the premise that one day they will all equal something really promising for me and my family... and that my dear is... love and happiness.  

The following quotes are from Dr. Shad Helmstetter’s book titled “Choices”. 

You may think that in life, a lot of things happen to you along the way. The truth is, in life, you happen to a lot of things along the way.  ~unknown author

The choices we make by accident are just as important as the choices we make by design.  ~unknown author

Another person’s choice is nothing more than another alternative for you to consider.  ~unknown author 

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Taking Back My Life ~ Making It My Own.  U.S Copyright laws apply.  © 2012