We have a middle schooler!

Ben was excited all summer for middle school, so I didn't have to worry that he would have a horrible time adjusting to the new environment, the new routine, all those teachers, and all the things that come along with those angsty preteen years. He was ready to embrace it all, and has been liking middle school so far, so all good things. He has started playing the saxophone this year, and he is so good!! He really blows me away. Ben has always been a tinkerer, and his hands always have to be busy doing something. While he talks to me, he grabs something off the counter and starts playing with it. A lot of times he's destroying something without even realizing it, so it drives me crazy, but that also means he doesn't mind playing around with the saxophone while learning all the fingerings. Just last night we were trying to pick out a Christmas song for him to play in church, and the speed at which he picked up the notes was amazing! It'll be fun to have him get up on stage and play it. I'm excited to have a musician in the family!

And these girls are getting bigger and bigger! Olivia started first grade this year and Mila went into second. I was worried about how Olivia would do with the full day, but my kids continue to astound me. They are all so capable, independent, and smart, and I'm so lucky to be their mom. I don't usually like to brag, but honestly, they're such a blessing to Bogdan and me. Olivia got Mila's teacher from last year, whom we really love, so it was nice that she had less adjusting to do because she already knew her.

Let's not forget the backpack shot!

Off they go.

Naomi and I got back to the house and immediately had to start adjusting to the quiet house and the morning stretching out before us. We had to work out a new normal for ourselves. At first she didn't quite know what to do with herself because usually she just tags along with one of her siblings or forces them to play with her, so it was like she was expecting them to come back any minute. She walked over to the garage at one point and opened the door where they had left earlier that morning, looking for them, wondering where they had gone. The first week or so was tricky like that, but soon she settled into it and came to expect that it was just me and her most of the day until the kids came back home. And when they did walk back into the house, she would run to the garage door with so much excitement, yelling, "Hi! Hi! Hi!" and give them the biggest hugs. Melt my heart! She's the luckiest to have three older siblings to play with and look up to, and who always look out for her.

xoxo,
Tanya