Back to School

That is right, school has started here in Panama City.

Todd Jr. is of to 5th grade and managing changing classes pretty well.

Grady is in 1st grade and loves his class.

Grant is back to the Pre K grind and providing his teachers with much entertainment.

 

The first day of school was a little stressful.

This was the view out of the front window of the van while waiting to get out in the flooded parking lot at school.

It has been a very wet summer. 

I am over it.

 

Anyway, we finally made it inside.

 

Soggy socks and all.

The weather prevented lots of great photos and I had to take this one quickly.

Todd Jr. is too cool and had to get away from us as fast as was humanly possible.

 

Hope everyone has a great school year!

 

 

 



The End

... of the Summer has arrived.

That is right, tomorrow morning the boys will rise early and head off to school.

This past week we have concluded our back to school preparations, including a trip to the dentist and hair cut for each boy.

And while school has not quite started, we are in full swing with football

Brothers all suited up and ready to hit!

Go Chargers!

For those of you wondering, Grady is loving it... as a matter of fact, he may be happier playing football than soccer... Who knew?

And here is baby brother chillin' on the sidelines, with his feet propped up on Miss Deadrea's cooler.

Actually the feet propping is a necessity... the ants out at the field are NASTY.

And there is Dat Dat...

Doing the coaching thing.

Isn't he cute!

Well, tomorrow is a big day... Todd Jr. is off to 5th grade and Grady to 1st.

Grant will be in Pre K 4 and Mommy will be at the school almost as often as the boys, volunteering and substitute teaching.

Here's hoping for a great year!



Pearls of Wisdom

So, this morning after watching the drama unfold during the Olympic Marathon, the little boys and I decided to switch channels.

The choice this morning was the Food Network.

Grady loves to watch the different chefs cook.

This morning the Food Network Star we were watching was...

Rachel Ray.

It was her program Week in Day where she preps meals for a week.

Well, after we had watched for a while, Grady commenting every few minutes, "Mommy, we should make that," and Grant building random Potato Heads...

Grant, out of the blue says,

"Mommy, I know why there is a screen on the TV."

Then I, curious where this was going said, "Oh really, why?"

Grant, serious as ever replies, "So she can't throw food at us."

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, gets past this boy.

Yes, that is broccoli, he and Grady fight over it.

No, Rachel Ray did not throw it at him.



Oh Grant...

Grant (while staring at his reflection in the mirror:

 "Mommy, I was wrong."

Rare statement from a child, I know.

Mommy: "About what?"

Grant: "Freckles."

You see, Grant had been picking on Todd Jr and Mommy about all their freckles and we tried to tell him he had them too.

He was in  pigmentation denial.

I understand.

I tried to get rid of mine when I was little with lemon juice.

Don't ask.

Obviously it did not work.



Best Friends

Todd and Miles.

Teammates, Classmates and Best Friends.



Are You Ready?

Yes, it is that time again, Football Season!!!!

And this year, we have added a new player to the field.

That is right, this season, Grady Joe will be joining Todd Jr. in his favorite game.

Check out these handsome Lynn Haven Chargers.

We were really worried about how Grady would take to all the activity.

He has been a real champ. He even made it through the first night in a helmet with no tears.

We are so very proud of both our boys.

It is hard to believe how quickly the Summer has gone, we have all been so busy.

Todd Jr. went to the Jimbo Fisher Football Camp at Florida State.

Here is Todd with his roommate Ryan.

Coincidentally, Ryan is also a Lynn Haven Charger.

Here is Coach Fisher pumping up all the campers.

The coaches wasted no time getting the boys in motion.

Poor Todd, we knew he had a cough and had him on antibiotics, but little did we know he actually had pneumonia, glad camp was only a couple of days... oops.

The boys got to play both on the Seminoles practice field as well as Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium.

The little boys were troopers and enjoyed watching all that was going on.

Todd Jr. had a great time.

And no matter what, even after spending all that time at FSU...

And pictures with Renegade.

They are still little Gators at heart!

There was lots more activity... Visits to Meme and Foe Foe, Grammie and Dada, Beeka Beeka and Uncle David, Soccer Camps, VBS, Pop Warner Football Camp and 4 Weeks of substitute teaching this summer... only 2 more weeks til school starts....

My, how time flies..

Boxes

Boxes

We use them to pack our treasures...

...and our junk.

To ship a special gift.

Businesses use them to ship their wares.

In our home there is a very special box.

Yes, this very nondescript box.

Hidden on a shelf in our closet...

behind a soccerballl and a backpack.

Why then, if it is so special, is it high on a shelf, hidden away?

No, not hidden, sheltered.

In it, the physical life of a child.

Our child.

Our daughter.

In this box are treasures too few, representing a life so short.

A pretty dress.

Cards... sympathy... so many beautiful words shared by so many... thank you all for each and everyone...

there were even a few cards from a shower just weeks before.

Books... about grief, loss and recovery.

And inside, another box.

This box, I have to tell you was a surprise.

Todd and I had received a call from Shands saying they had a box of Esme's things.

My reaction was mixed.

Hopeful, for some representation of her life.

But skeptical.

Esme had nothing, what could there possibly be?

The counselor met us in the Chapel at Shands and handed us the satin box.

She expressed her sympathies, and left us to explore it on our own.

Inside, the booties you see below.

When they brought us into the NICU to say goodbye, they had dressed her.

A delicate pink onesie with little flowers covering it... with matching booties.

There were hand prints, foot prints, and even a lock of dark hair.

While these items are few, Todd and I will treasure them always.

Below is Esme's Beanie Baby.

It was in her crib in the hospital in Tallahassee.

Today, there will be no boxes, wrapped and sealed with ribbons.

It is the same thing on this day each year.

But always, we will treasure the gift of our children, all of them.

Below is a song from the band Selah.

"I will Carry You"

The man singing, whose name happens to be Todd, and his wife,

 lost their daughter just after she was born as well.

If you have the time, would you pause the media player on the blog and press play.

Just listen.

Happy Birthday Esme.

We love and miss you.

Thanks.

All our love,

The Harris Family