#158/365--Stack of Books

On my summer reading list. I am hoping to be finished with these before July and then on to another stack...

#157/365--Smiling Faces

Lauren, leaving for camp.


Makenzie, at her horse show.


Mikey, swimming at his cousins' house.

Love them.

#156/365--Far Away, part 2

Lauren leaves for camp tomorrow. I've been so busy today helping her to get packed. Making sure she doesn't forget this or that. And, double-checking that she has this "just-in-case." We did laundry. We ran to the store to pick up some last minute items (toothbrush holder, etc). After I put her to bed, it hit me. She's going to camp "far away!!" Oh, she'll have tons of fun and she'll make tons of new friends and she'll grow in her faith. But I'll miss her. Like crazy. She's my girl. And you won't believe this, but when I tucked Mikey in...he even said, "I don't want Lauren to go." :)

#155/365--Far Away

And when I say far away, one might think of many different things. Perhaps you think of relatives that live far away. Or you might think of a time in your life that is long past. For instance, in a far away memory, I am a child, playing in the snow with my neighbor. Or you might think of a far away time period in your life that hasn't occured yet. Like, a long time from now, I'll be retired. It's funny, really. Because that's not really what I was thinking when I took this picture.

I mean, other than the obvious...that we were FAR AWAY from the stage. But as I thought about my nephew graduating, I, of course, thought of a far away time, when I graduated--21 years ago. A lot of memories passed through my mind. A long time ago, in a far away place, I thought it'd be a long...far away time until I had kids. And then. I had kids. And a long time ago, in a far away place, my kids started school. And then. Not-so-long ago, in a not-so-far away place, I began to realize that the far-aways aren't really that far away.

You know how people sometimes ask the question, "Where will you be in 5 years?" Last night, at my nephew's graduation, I thought about that myself. Five years sure seems far away. But in 5 years, Lauren will be walking across that stage getting her diploma. When Lauren was a baby, I briefly thought, "Lauren will be in kindergarten in 5 years..." but that thought was fleeting because the next thought was, "...but that's a time far away from now..." but not really. I'm going to blink my eyes and it will be 5 years from now. Far away is really a lot closer than you think.

#154/365--Bellisimo's

It's this neat little Italian place off of highway 26 in Colleyville--you have to take your own wine because they don't serve alcohol there. It's pretty yum. This was the wine we took.

Quaint, quiet, private...good food, good wine, good company, and good conversation.

#153/365--Enemy

Here are the Enemies:

Now, if only I were brave enough to spray them with the "weapon" I bought in defense...

#152/365--Shots

Sandy got her vaccinations updated today. She also got checked for heartworms and such. She's all clear. The vet told me I can give her benadryl when I know there are going to be storms and that should settle her nerves and help with the accidents in the house. She also said if that doesn't help, then I can get her on a prescription for some sort of valium type dog medicine. Crossed fingers. I hope benadryl works. Frankly, dogs are almost as expensive as children, especially considering I don't have insurance to pay for all this this stuff. I'm hoping to get her groomed tomorrow!