As Summer Fades...

Wow! It seems that it was just yesterday that we were counting down the days until the end of the school year, and now we're preparing to begin a new one. We've been extremely fortunate to have had the time to spend with our family throughout the summer. We've had lots of laughs, fun, and too much food! We're very blessed to have each of you in our lives and look forward to making more memories! As summer fades, I'm reminded of how quickly I forget the small details of our day-to-day lives. I'm taking this opportunity to recap a few of Mallory's summer moments.


In addition to time with family this summer, Mallory has had several "firsts". She began the summer with her "first" trip without us or other family members. She had the opportunity to go to Chicago with the band and despite riding and sleeping on a chartered bus for 14 hours, she loved it. She got her "first" summer job babysitting two kids- Alex and Ava. She only had to babysit on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but learned that there is much to be said for having a well-planned day with multiple activities. I think she went through her entire bag of tricks on the first day. It has been a good opportunity for her to earn her own money along with some responsibilities outside home and school. She also participated in the city's Municpal Band for the "first" time with friends Bethany and Taylor. Paris' Municpal Band is one of a handful left in the state of Texas. They practiced on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00-8:30 and performed on Friday evenings in Bywaters Park. Finally, she experienced her "first" summer with a license. She has been extremely cautious with this responsibility and has accepted the task of running errands without complaint. We are very proud of her for accepting these responsibilities with such maturity.

Next week, she begins summer band. They will practice each weekday from 7:30-3:00 until school begins (August 24) to prepare for their marching show. After school starts, they will practice after school from 4:00-6:00. They will perform at the first football game on August 28 (first week of school). Friday nights are occupied through the first week of November and several Saturdays are reserved for marching competitions. They work very hard and don't always get the recognition that they deserve. In spite of the hard work, Mallory loves it and has thrived amidst the team and family environment that the band embraces.

As her junior year approaches, I find myself realizing that her time in "our nest" will be over much sooner than we would like. This is bitter-sweet as I'm excited for her in knowing all of the opportunities that await her, but heavy-hearted in knowing the emptiness it will bring for us. I'm grateful to my Father in Heaven each day for blessing me with such a special daughter and husband. I can't imagine my life without them!