Picture problem

I'm having trouble manipulating pictures but I think you can tell what pictures go with what part of the next story.

Whoa is me.

6:00--Grace is up and adam, a full 2 hours before the bus arrives. As Ken exclaimed tearfully, "It took her less than 3 minutes to get ready!"
6:05--Grace proclaims she's ready to go get on the bus.
6:55--Ken is off to school with the boys, I'm cleaning up tear filled tissue scattered around the computer.
7:00-7:55--Grace is sitting in front of the television, every now and then exclaiming that she wants to go to the bus now.
7:30--I start simmering "Superman" soup (tomato) because that is what she likes for lunch. Her lunch consisted of soup, croutons, bread with butter (on her father's insistance because she really didn't want it) pineapple and pistacios. (as I'm writing this I remember that I forgot to tell her to put the shells in the bag with her napkin and spoon. I'm hoping she doesn't make a big mess and I'm doubly hoping she doesn't spill the soup.)
7:56--I remember that we didn't do her homework. We quickly pull out the newspaper and Grace cuts out a bottle of apple juice and some cute bags from Kohl's. They are red. We put them in the envelope and in the backpack.
8:03--We head up front to wait for the bus. I imagine us on the couch, but Grace runs outside and sits on a chair.
8:10--Grace sees 2 buses at the stop light. She exclaims, "The bus is here." I say lots of buses go through that light so we have to wait for a bus to come on campus.
8:11--A bus comes on campus. I not so quietly hope it is the one picking up the High School Bloom students, 40 minutes early.
8:12--The bus comes around the corner clearly headed for our house. The twins come jumping out of their house and with Grace they shout together, "The bus is coming! The bus is coming."
8:12:30--Grace starts to run for the bus. I have to call her back for a hug.
8:12:32--She runs back to the bus and gets on, completely comfortable finding a seat on her own. The twins follow and they all sit together. Mrs. Warner takes a picture and Grace calls out to her, "Tell my mom I said Good-bye!"
8:13--The bus pulls off. The twins' grandmother looks at me and says, "No tears?!" I reply, "Oh there's gonna' be tears." And I can't hold off any longer. All the while I wonder why a Nationally Board Certified teacher is letting her child go to school when I could do a great job teaching her at home. But her excitement this morning is the main reason. She really thrives being with other kids and loves making new friends. It's just ironic that the 10 years I taught I often thought Kindergarten would be more meaningful for the students as a full day program. But, now that my own daughter is going, I desparately want a half day program.
8:14--Luci says with a sad look, "I miss Gracie already." Daniel repeats with a sad look on his face.
12:20--I mentioned at lunch that Grace was having pineapple for lunch just like us and I was told not to mention her name at the table.
3:30--15 minutes after we were expecting the bus, the bus pulls onto campus.
3:31--Grace and company get out.
3:31:30--They are still walking while Mrs. Warner, Ken and I wait patiently at the cottage for them to sprint into our arms, knowing they must have missed us as much as we missed them all day long.
3:31:45--They walk.
3:31:50--Grace breaks into a gallop. Finally she saw us...we think.
3:31:55--She was just catching up with her long legged friends.
3:32--FINALLY, she sees us and does a little jog towards us. Luci intercepts her first. "Mommy! Daddy!" I still question whether she was genuine or could see in our faces that we really needed a Mommy Daddy moment.
The rest of the afternoon she entertained our questions with stories of how much fun she had. She did love it. She didn't spill the soup and she ate about half of everything in her lunch. She ate the rest when she got home.
So it was a success. Grace was just as excited for the bus the 2nd day, but she remembered to give me a kiss before she hopped on. I still got wet eyes, and Luci still said, "I miss Grace already" as soon as the bus left. Daniel was quietly pouting too. But Grace didn't forget them. The second day she brought home a piece of candy for Luci and Daniel to share. She got it for knowing one of the rules in gym class.

The little differences

So we have been spending a good part of the summer at the pool. Grace has finally gotten the nerve to go off the diving board. First with a life jacket, but today she wanted to go without it. The first time she jumped off into my arms. The second time I was trying to relish the time warping front flip I just landed. The judges only put out a 4.5, but for the first time in 15 years, I was satisfied. So I was trying to enjoy this and Grace just ran off into the water and swam to the side herself! I was very impressed (and glad that she didn't drown).

But, the greatest part about today was the slide. Daniel even likes the slide. When he gets bored with the other 2 pools, he actually asks to go down it. And for those of you who don't know, it is a 3 story twisty-turny slide. So we went to the slide. See if you can enjoy the difference in reactions on the way down....

Daniel--He he he. He he he. Giggle-laughing the whole way down.
Luci--Weeeeeeeeee. This is fun. Weeeeeeee. Whoah, we're almost done! Weeeeee.
Grace--How do they build water slides? Mom, who ever thought of how to build the first water slide?