My Girl's!

I feel like it has been forever since I've posted. A couple of days after Mark left my mom, sister and niece came to help me "through". We were busy little bees doing lots of shopping, eating, more shopping, more eating, and then topped it off with a little more shopping. Isn't it funny how spending money can mend a broken heart, well, not completely mend, but it does put a large band-aid on it. I'm hoping to add a few future posts about their visit, it was a doozy, but it was wonderful.

The day after Mark left, Bailey completed a very large school project that I wanted to share. Her class hosted a wax museum for black history month, where each student picked a famous figure to portray. They had to compose a report on their figure's life history, dress the part and then recite their reports from memory. They had to stand very still and recite their report as museum attendees pushed the button at their "exhibit". I was impressed, all of the children did so well. I could tell they were nervous but were so motivated to do a good job. I think they did! Here is Bailey as, you guessed it . . . Aretha Franklin:

Keisha, you would have been so proud. She sung her heart out!
This is Bailey with her teacher, Mrs Stevens, on the day of the museum's grand opening!

I also have a few additions to my growing list of McKennaism's:

1. "Dad, you are the best Dad ever!" Dad replies, "Thank you, you are the best McKenna ever" McKenna rebukes, "No, Dad, I'm the best rockstar ballerina ever!"

2. This is the conversation Mark had with her during "Read across America" week at school, during which they celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday. McKenna says, "I'm so sad that Dr. Seuss died." Mark consoles her, "Me too, but at least we still get to read his books" Classic McKenna: "I'm gonna email Jesus and ask him to take good care of Dr. Seuss"

4. While talking to my mom at breakfast she is asking questions about our day. My mom says something like, "We are going out today so we have to get up very early" McKenna replies, "What's a furilly?"

3. We are making slow progress with McKenna's severe allergy to church, particularly primary (children's sunday school). For some reason primary makes her suddenly and violently "sick and tired". Right after the closing prayer in our main meeting (she is supposed to go to primary after this) she instantly becomes ill. Sunday, as we are walking down the hall to class, she is stopping everyone, whether she knows them or not and says, "I'm sick so I can't go to class today", "Hey, I can't go to class today cause I'm sick, cough, cough", "My mom is taking me home because I'm sick and I can't go to class" blah blah blah. What the heck, primary is the most entertaining of the sunday block of church! She just hasn't figured this out yet . . .

Here is the project we worked on to help the girls understand when Mark will be home. We made a paper chain, one link for each day he is gone. They both go straight to the chain each morning to tear off another link. I don't even have to remind them to do this. Several times McKenna has said, "Mom, it's getting shorter!" Two weeks down, we have survived!