How is it possible...

...to be feeling such heartache and yet such overflowing love all at the same time?

Scene:  Kitchen

Hubby: Large, Medium, and Small Fries...come here, please.

[scrambling of tootsies]

Hubby: In a few minutes, your mother is going to call on the computer.

Large Fry: Our mother?

Hubby: Your mom, yes.

Small Fry: Mommy?

Hubby: No.  Mommy-XSIL.

[cheers]

(And about where my heart dropped into my shoes.)

Large Fry: Can I tell her I'm in second grade now?

Hubby: Yes, you can tell her.

Small Fry: Whewre's my Mommy?

Hubby: She's in the den.


Yep, in the den, melting into a big pile of gooeyness.

Overheard

Wart [on Disney's The Sword in the Stone]: Jumpin' hoptoads!

Medium Fry: What did he just say?

Me: "Jumpin' hoptoads!"

Medium: Why did he say that?

Me: Because he did!  It's in the script!

It starts.

When I pulled out Large Fry's lunch box today, since she wouldn't be needing it (the PTO was cooking lunch for all the students--pretty neat), I noticed she had brought home all kinds of books and papers and stuff yesterday.

Including two math workbooks.

And there, on one of them, on the sticker with her name on it, was written these words:

I Love <3 Mason.

I'm so not ready for this!

Hubby and Large Fry: A Photo Essay

As I talked with my dad after he responded to my last post, I went back and looked at some of the pictures I had of Hubby and Large Fry together, even before the Fries came to live with us.  Even then, it was so obvious how much she loved and trusted him.

Take a look:

Sharing cake! (July 2007)

Snuggles (July 2007)

Silliness (July 2007)

Labor Day 2007

The other adults were playing cards. Large wanted to be with Uncle. (9/07)

Boppa's shoes on Uncle's feet.... (Sept. 2007)

"This Little Piggy" Duet (Nov. 2007)

This little piggy had roast beef.... (Nov. 2007)

Peekaboo. (Nov. 2007)

Giggles! (Nov. 2007)

Tug of war (Nov. 2007)

Story time. (Nov. 2007)

*honk* (Nov. 2007)

Bowling (Dec. 2007)

Playground fun (July 2008)

Helping build shelves (Oct. 2008)

Checkup.  (Oct. 2008)

Trimming the tree (Nov. 2008)

Meeting a bunny (with twin Fries). (May 2009)

Game time. (May 2009)

Snuggles.  (Sept. 2009)

Horsey ride. (Oct. 2009)

First day of preschool. (Nov. 2009)

Dominoes! (Summer 2010)

First day of kindergarten. (Aug. 2010)

Learning games. (Fall 2010)

Wrestling.  (Dec. 2010)

♫ The best things happen while you're dancing... ♪ (Winter 2011)

Kindergarten graduation (June 2011)

June 2011

Father's Day 2011

Summer 2011

First day of first grade! (Aug. 2011)

Silly snuggles!  (Dec. 2011)

Easter 2012

My Little Big Girl

Large Fry had a slightly tumultuous bedtime tonight, having been caught in a lie of omission.  So when I laid down next to her on the floor (her stomach bug at the end of last week has resulted in her sleeping on the floor, which has been good, since it hasn't been quite so hot there), I reminded her that I loved her, and always would.

She nodded, but still looked discontented.  "What's wrong, honey?" I asked.

And the floodgates opened.

"I don't want to leave Mrs. H!" she cried, then buried her head in my shoulder (which is still damp) and sobbed.

At last, I knew what's been bothering her the last couple of days, and it explained her being ill again last night, in combination with a too-long day on Sunday.

I held her.

She cried.

I prayed out loud for her.

She still cried.

I stroked her arm and held her close and murmured what I hoped were soothing phrases.

My big, almost-seven-year-old girl, who had been so excited about summer and second grade in the fall, was now terrified of leaving first grade and her teacher.

Hubby & Large, Easter 2012

When she couldn't stop crying, I kissed her forehead and went into my room, where Hubby was laying in bed, half out of it after managing to stay upright for the high school Baccalaureate service that he was in charge of tonight...after being up most of the night, being extremely ill with a violent stomach bug.  He and Large Fry have a very special relationship, and if anyone could get her to calm down, it was him.

I made sure it was okay for her to come in--he's been avoiding snuggles today so he doesn't pass this bug on to the kids--and helped her crawl up on the bed next to him.

He got her talking about what she was so upset about, and proceeded to tell her some of the same stuff I had, about being able to see Mrs. H. in the hallways next year and everything.  Coming from Daddy, it was apparently more believable.

She was almost asleep, curled up against his side, when I sang the first verse of "Goodnight, Junior" for her, which has been something of a tradition now at bedtime for the last several weeks.

My poor little big girl.  The end of first grade is rough.

Quote of the Night

"Koa!  Cats don't eat Cheerios!"

No Fever.

But also no appetite, no energy, no normal bubbly personality.

Will someone please explain to me why Large Fry threw up tonight?

I know she had a stomach bug at the end of last week.  But I also know she was over it by Sunday afternoon.  Still tired, but over it.

She didn't want dinner tonight.  She fell asleep before I could tuck her in.

Yay.

I have a looming deadline in a week and needed to take tomorrow and work.

Like that's going to happen with a sick six-year-old at home.