where has the month of august gone? it's september 1 (tomorrow) and it seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year. time flies when you're having fun. not that this has been a totally fun week. we think we finally have our air conditioner problems solved, expensive as it was to solve them. but the house is now nice and cool and we're praising the Lord for that. the new dishwasher is installed, after two days of working on it, and it works wonderfully. her name is joy, because she brings me joy.

ethan is up to his old tricks again. today when he asked for his third sippie of milk within 10 minutes i told him no. he looked at me, pointed that little finger at me and said, "don't tell me no". i had to bite my lip and look away to keep from laughing at him. he's so spunky. the house three doors down from ours caught fire today. there were four firetrucks and police cars everywhere on our street and in front of our house. they had the road blocked off and people were congregating in the yard. so we walked outside to chat with a neighbor. when ethan saw the firetrucks he was so excited. he said, "yay! then started going woooooooo (the sound of a siren). it was so cute but kind of embarrassing. we went back inside soon after that.

sarah is enjoying first grade. her fundraiser walk is thursday morning from 9am until 10am. ethan and i will be going to cheer her on. i'm so thankful the weather is cooler this week and that we will be able to enjoy being outside.

no insightful posts tonight. just wanted to update everyone on what's been going on in our lives.

today was sarah's first day of first grade. as we were getting her supplies ready last night she commented on how heavy they were. i reassured her that i would help her carry them in the morning. then she hit me with the words that no mom wants to hear. "i don't need you to walk me to my room because i'm a first grader now. i'm not a kindergartener, you know". i did my best to not look defeated. i did my best to laugh it off. but if i am honest, it hurt. i knew this day would come. i just didn't know she'd be six. as we arrived at school this morning i convinced her to let me walk her to the door of the school and help her carry her things. she relunctantly agreed. but as we crossed the threshold of the door, she promptly took her supplies and spun on one heel to go to her class. no kiss, no hug, not even a goodbye. i had to call her back for a quick, and i do mean quick, kiss and picture. it's humerous. it's hard to be sad when she's so excited. but it does happen all too fast and it's not something you can understand until you've been there.

as i reflect on sarah's declaration, "i don't need you . . .", i wonder how many times i've made that same declaration to my heavenly Father. whether audibly, through my actions or by my attitude, i have said that many times. and thankfully, He knows what i as a parent know. in fact i do need Him, just as sarah needs me. and while the physical limitations of this world prevent me from being ever present with sarah . . . leading her to make good choices, protecting her from harm, and supporting her through each and every step of the day . . . our Father has promised to be with us both. because we do need Him. thank You Father, for Your presence in my life and in the life of my daughter. and thank You for being there even when we think we don't need You.

and surely i am with you always. matthew 28:20

ethan cracks me up. i don't know if what i'm laughing at is supposed to be laughed at, but he is so funny. my parents recently got to enjoy some of his humorous behavior. my mother and i were doing something on the computer and he came up to me out of the blue and said, "mama, timeout". he gets sent to timeout on a regular basis. i guess he is trying to see if he has the same power. the next night at dinner he had been counted and sent to his room several times because he wouldn't quit jumping in the chair. so when i told him he couldn't have coke, he told me, "that's three. go your room". i can't help but laugh. he's so adamant about it.

saturday he made both donald and i laugh. we were heading to the store and he wanted music. surprise, surprise. but i'm sick of hannah montana and jonas brothers (i know, blasphemy), so i put on rascal flatts. a few notes into the song he firmly says, "aw, come on". if i had coke in my mouth i would've spit it out. he's growing up way too fast.

we're still waiting on our friend to come and fix our leak in our master bath. we have at least narrowed it down to a tub problem so we're only using the shower in the meantime. we're also hoping that he can give us a good deal on a fence as we really need one to keep a certain little boy in OUR yard and out of the street. i love my house, but there is going to be a longer list of must haves at our next house.

just a little over a week until sarah starts first grade. i know that she's ready. but i hate having to be at home and at the bus stop at 3:00pm every afternoon. it's really annoying to be on someone else's schedule.

i'm trying to develop a new recipe: chocolate cupcakes with oreo frosting. perhaps today will be the day. if donald gets home from the doctor in time for me to go to the store.