When did Ashley get so grown up???

On the lighter side of things.....  Monday night we headed to our elementary school for the school's tenth birthday party.  We had a great time trying to recruit for Cub Scouts & Brownie's. It was a really nice night.  The weather was perfect, the kids were in a good mood and mostly feeling ok.  They had some artwork on display.  That was pretty cool :)
Last night was one of those nights that I needed to be in 3 places almost at once.  So, Kevin took Emily to therapy for me, and then took Zach to Cub Scouts while I went to the high school for Ashley's Fine Arts Festival.  That was really awesome!  It was so cool to see Ash in her element, with her friends cheering her on and her teachers looking to her to help.  She may not have the best grades but when she enjoys something she puts her all into it.  She was the voice that was the most clear, the only one that you could really pick out during her chorus concert.  You could tell that the other girls looked to her to kind of lead the way.  And she's such a brilliant artist.  Obviously it's easy for me to always see her as my daughter, but last night allowed me an opportunity to see her as a friend, a student, a person.  It was a wonderful night.  And when it was done I let her hang with her friends for a while.  She actually asked me to join them, but I wanted to let her bask in the moment of her night.  I hung out with them for a while, but I wanted her to be able to relax and let loose a bit.  She's such a good teen.  I truly am blessed.
I had a few days where I was pretty cranky.  Understandably so, I imagine, when one is hit with so many things at one time.  There are so many things that I can't control, but I'm ok with that.  I am sure that we are in God's hands, therefore we may struggle, we may fall, but we will get up again.  Whatever happens... I may not be thrilled but I will eventually prevail.  WE will prevail.  I am nothing without my family.  Thank God for them.