Summer is in Full Swing!

We are enjoying our summer so far!! :) Can you tell?

Makes you wish you were a kid again, doesn't it? If only I had captured Chad and Greg's combo slip n slide escapade. ;)

End of Preschool!

Kennedy had a great first year at school! She had a wonderful teacher and I love her preschool! She learned so much! She showed up not knowing one letter or being interested in that at all and now she knows all of her letters and by the end of the year she can write her name! :) I was SO proud! She's grown up so much this year! We'll enjoy the summer and then on to Pre-K! WOW!

K and her teacher, Mrs Mary Beth

With Mommy and Daddy :)

K and her friend Bailey....sweet girls!

Emotions

This year ends a lot of special things for the Olliff household. Tomorrow is the last day of the schoolyear. That is always an exciting time for a teacher. :) Kennedy will end her very first year of school. Whit and Kennedy will end their time at Miss Michelle's next week. She has loved on my babies since they were 3 months old. So much of me is excited for the new steps they are taking, but the emotional part of me is sad. They have loved "bechelle" as Kennedy says and "chelle" as Whit calls her since they can remember. I am so incredibly thankful for the part she has played in my children's childhood. She has loved them when I couldn't be there. I will forever be grateful for each and every moment she has spent with them. I am so glad God has placed her in our lives. We were talking tonight about next year and how K will be at Elementary school and Whit will be at the church. K looks at me and says, "You mean, we will be APART?? I will miss Whit so much! I don't want to be apart from him!" Hello.....that made me all teary. Greg thinks I have lost my mind. I have loved having them together. They adore each other so much. What an awesome God we serve, that places our lives in the perfect way that we never expected. I wanted a baby years before we had Kennedy. God had different plans and now that I have these two miracles, I see it. They were meant to grow up this close. For that, I am so incredibly thankful. The waiting was so worth it.

This year at school has been such a good year. I truly think this has been one of my best years. I think each year somehow I become a better teacher. I have learned to love them like my own, and it is amazing how different your outlook is. I have loved my 6th grade babies this year. There are always a few standout ones that you want to bring home and raise forever. I have one this year that has really stolen my heart. I wish I could fix their lives. I wish they were growing up in a home like I am providing for my children. I can't fix everything, but this year I have decided to start something. I am writing down the name of one student and vowing to myself to pray for them for years to come. I want to remember them by name, and call them by name in my prayers. My first group of kids is graduating this year. One of my special ones from that very first year is one that babysits for me and I still keep up with. I think prayer changes lives. So for as many years as I need to, I'll pray for these kids by name. And each year, I'll add a name and continue it. We shall see what the future holds for these kids. I can only hope and pray that they learn how special and important they are. If I am the only one who ever tells them that, at least I am doing my part.

So, as we close this school year tomorrow, I will say goodbye to the babies I have had this year. K will say goodbye to a wonderful 1st preschool year. We'll say goodbye to our "bechelle" next week. We'll step forward to the future, but we won't forget how we got here. It's the ones that love us that have helped us become who we are. Miss Bechelle's house will be filled with babies that are not mine. She'll be squeezing some other babies cheeks. Yet, this mommy will forever be thankful for the love she has given my babies. I am thankful for so much this year. I am thankful to be able to have a job that I love, happy healthy children, a husband that loves me, a mighty God that we serve, and family and friends that support us in all we do. Thank you to all of you for making this such a great schoolyear. I look forward to what the future holds!

Take My Breath Away :)

She's 4. It was her very first official recital. She was beautiful. She walked onto the stage and beamed. She stared at hundreds of faces and all she did was smile and dance her heart out. You could tell she loved every minute of it. I grew up dancing. I remember those moments of dancing on stage. It was where I fit. You want your kids to love what they want, but when they love what you love, it is extra special. This was such a special moment for all of us. I wish I had taken a picture of her enterouge. There were so many Olliff's, Sartin's, and Hatten's there, all for one little girl to dance. There were 18 girls on the stage, but we all had ours eyes on this one. She took my breath away. She's so beautiful. I am so, so proud of her!

The pictures are in reverse order. I forgot blogger did that. Sorry to include so many, but I really just needed to post a lot! :)

With her grandmother's....and me of course!

K's friend from school, Esmee. SO cute!



Me with my girl. :)

Aunt Courtney!

With both of her great-grandmother's. That is pretty special to have them both there! I love this picture!

The fam minus Whit. He wasn't feeling having his picture taken. Shocking! ;)

One proud MeMe

SuSu!

He was SO proud of her. This is not a posed picture and I love it. He ran up to her, gave her flowers and a big hug! Sweet little brother!

So PROUD!

Her ballet dance

Her tap dance!

Good little brother watching in the audience. He was actually very well behaved! Thanks to all the help!

My littel bumble bee!

K and Ella Claire!

K and Pops!

We are so very proud, Kennedy! Way to go! :)

Mother's Day!

We celebrated Mother's day in Athen's this year. We had a wonderful weekend with friends and family. The only thing that would have made it better would be to have my mom there too! I never quite got the perfect picture, but I think the represent my life well. A little crazy, but I like it that way. I've never been called normal. ;)

It's the best gift I've ever been given, becoming a mom. It's my absolute favorite title to hold. I've been a wife, sister, daughter, teacher, but mom, it gives me an honor that I always longed to hold. I'm blessed beyond words. I love you, my Kennedy and Whitty. I am honored to be your mommy.

TROUBLE

Me: Hey, kids...go get Brannen's stroller for Jen from our house.

This is what I find coming back......TROUBLE!

Catch Up!

I think sometimes I facebook more than blog because you get more feedback. I like a good comment on my pictures of my babies! Then someone says something about my blog. I wonder sometimes if anyone still reads it. I even have one of those counter things that I never check to see who is checking. I don't want to bore the blogging world, but I do enjoy a comment or two just to know someone is actually reading it. I can't believe I haven't blogged in this long. It is embarrassing! I write this mainly for one reason, my babies. I want them to be able to read about their childhood. I think it is such a treasure for them. They might not appreciate it in my lifetime, but I hope that through my words they see how much I truly love them. I told Kennedy today the story about how I prayed for babies in this house. I wish I could capture the look on her face when I told her God answered with her. She beamed. I remember praying for her and thinking about the day I could tell her what a miracle she is for us. She doesn't quite understand it, but to be able to have that conversation is such a blessing. Her teenage years will be full of fights I am sure, but today is filled with I love you's and you are the best mommy ever. I adore these days. Now, all the days Iam so tired I can barely stand are hard. Yet, somehow I survive. The school year is coming to an end. Another year has come and gone. I'm worn out. Kennedy wants to be home. Whit wants to be home. I want to be HOME! Friday is our last day of school and it cannot get here soon enough! Endless days of summer are at our fingertips......cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I promise to be a better blogger. There is a lot going on around here to share! My stay at home months are here and I promise to be better about keeping in touch!