Hello! Is there anybody out there?!

Merriam-Webster defines neglect as follows: 
ne·glect

Pronunciation: \ni-ˈglekt\

Function: transitive verb

1 : to give little attention or respect to

2 : to leave undone or unattended to especially through carelessness

I define it as follows:

1 : to give little attention or to leave undone or unattended to especially due to a ridiculous amount of busyness.

I am here. I am fine. I am sorry. I am tired. But more importantly, I am back!

SO much has been happening around here in the last month or so, I don't even know where to start. So, I've decided to just post away. Every day. In no particular order. For as long as it takes to get up to date. How about that?

OK, so first and foremost, my little girl started Kindergarten yesterday.

Sorry about the foggy picture.

The humidity was CRAZY yesterday and it took a while for the camera to adjust.

She was SO excited! Can you tell?

She's only been talking about this day for weeks!

And yes, I was a disaster of a mess! And in all honesty, I've been a disaster of a mess for a while now. On Sunday I ran into my friend Valerie at church and we both started crying ~ yep, just by looking at each other. (BTW, her twins started Kindergarten today.) I guess since we've both been home with our kids, it's a bit hard for us to let go.

Anyway, Daddy, Sam and I took her to school.
You'd think she's done this before by the manner in which she carried herself.  

She was assertive and confident and courageous.
Everything I was not.

  

Not once did I see a glimmer of fear or uncertainty or doubt in her eyes.

She's my hero!

We walked inside, found her classroom and met her teacher, Ms. Long.

 

We've heard SO many good things about her.

And then apparently it was time for me to leave. The nerve!

So I did. And kept busy for the entire time she was in school.

Until finally, it was time to get her. YAY!

And this little man was WAY happy to go and pick up his sister.

He spent most of the day asking to "get Ba!".

So I got her and I hugged her and I kissed her over and over and over.

Well, until she begged me to please stop. 

And then we went out for a celebratory treat, in honor of her first day.

 And we talked and talked and talked:

She really likes Ms. Long. She's really nice.

She made a friend. Her name is Taylor.

She didn't get to eat all of her lunch, because they don't get a lot of time.

She counted all the way to 100 and she beat the clock. (Huh?)

None of the other kids were able to count that high.

She wrote her name a few times.

She matched shapes and colors and letters and numbers.

Because of the rain and the "sunder" (lol), they played in the gym.

She fell and hurt her leg, but she got over it and played some more.

She was there for a long time, and she missed me, but that's OK.

She really wants to go back.

Then her Daddy called her and she told him all about her great day.

And then we came home and my heart went back to it's normal state.

Until next Monday, that is.

Ha Ha, just kidding,... or am I?

Anyway, as I was going through her backpack, I came across this note:

 

So, apparently they kids are being tested to determine where they are and what they know. Suddenly the "counting to 100 and beating the clock" comment made a whole lot more sense.

Way to go, Peanut! You so totally ROCK!

And so begins a new era in the Butler home!