Magical Ceiling

Earlier today I was sitting at the computer in the kitchen. The sun was streaming in through the window and Amber (the cat) was sleeping lazily in the sunshine. Mackenzie walked in and said, "look at the lights on the ceiling!" I looked up and saw a bunch of small pastel colored light spots reflecting on our kitchen ceiling. It was beautiful! None of us could figure out what was reflecting the light or where it was coming from. After looking around we finally found that a plate covered in small pieces of colored glass tile I had bought at a thrift store and set on a table in the family room was the source of the unexpected light show!

Fall is Here

I was driving home from work yesterday and as I drove past a wooded area I looked over and - surprise! Fall is here (the season I mean - not the fall of the stock market which is definitely here). Somehow I hadn't noticed the trees changing. Then yesterday - there they were - orange, red, yellow. The colors of fall. Have I just not been observant or did it happen overnight? I mean, it's definitely October. We've had some chilly (but mostly warm) days this month. Soccer is just about over. All the milestones are there. But, I just didn't see it coming! Maybe it's the warm weather that's had me lulled into a sense of never-ending summer. I used to hate fall but now I have to say it's my favorite time of year after spring. I might even like it better. For one thing -the school year is still fairly new. Lately, I've come to dread Spring because it means the school year is on it's way out and my kids are on to another year older. This year, especially, I want to hang on to everyday. Well, my boss gave me the unexpected gift today of a few hours off so I'm going to go out and enjoy the fall!

Senior Moment

Last night Dwight and I walked Mackenzie across the soccer pitch to be recognized for Senior night. It was our first "Senior Moment." This was the first of the moments to come this year when we celebrate the end of high school and get ready to move on. I thought I would be very emotional and I wasn't too bad! I hope I'm that good at graduation! As we walked across the field, I was just so, so proud. She made it! When she was five and just starting to play - with her jersey hanging down to her knees - I dreamt of her playing for her high school team someday and now it's almost over - that fast. Soccer has had a lot of ups and downs for her. She usually hasn't been the best on the team and we've had our struggles with playing time, coaches, etc. But she has always had a good attitude and tried so hard. She's shown so much character -- especially this year. And, she's made so many friends and had a lot of fun. It's been worth every penny we spent. Twenty years from now she won't remember who the starting players were or who won the awards. What she'll remember are the friends, the fun, and the life lessons she learned.

Last night was "magic." The weather was great, the team won AND coolest of all - she scored a goal! I also found out that she and a teammate who she's known a long time resolved some long-time, deep issues that ruined their friendship for the last couple of years. They are now friends again. That's about as good as it gets!