Ella's 1st Day of Preschool & My 1st Day of My Cycle

I went to bed last night knowing my period was coming and today just reaffirmed what I already knew. Not only was the news of my period arriving (yet again) hard enough to swallow, but my period had to come on an already difficult day for me...Ella's first day of preschool. The timing is truly unkind. Seriously, God...on the same day??? But, I think I learned a lesson today. A lesson proving that I am stronger than I give myself credit for. Not only did I get through today, but I got through it with flying colors. I felt God wrapping His loving arms around me through Aaron's holding of my hand, through Ella's tight hug, through an inner peace that I can't describe, other than a peace of knowing that my time will come.

Don't get my wrong, though. My period coming absolutely crushes me! Each month, my period rips me apart, shattering my heart into a million pieces...but I always glue my heart back together (after all, I can't love my family with a broken heart!). I allow myself some time of self-pity and sadness, but then I bounce back. Sometimes I feel completed deflated, though, incapable of bouncing back from this breaking news time and time again, but Aaron and Ella help bring me back to myself. I find strength through my family.

Okay, enough of that! Now for some pictures from our day. :)

Ella wasn't too thrilled her summer has come to an end, but she ended up having a really great first day of school today!

Father / daughter love!

Mother / daughter love!

After work, I got busy on the cabinets. I painted the second coat on all the drawers. After allowing time to dry, I screwed on the handles, and put then in their respective places. Aaron came home from the gym and was amazed with how well they looked. He didn't expect it to turn out so good. I don't know if that was a compliment or not, but I proudly smiled. :)

Can't take the camera out without Ella wanting to get in the shot. :)

After dinner, we took Bob and Zoe for a walk (while Ella scooted!) to the nearby school to play on the playground and let the dogs run around.

Such concentration! She's borrowing our neighbor's scooter and really likes it. Her birthday is next month...need I say more?

Love the wind-blown look.

Me with my first girl, Zoe! Love this dog, despite her crazy psychosis of a personality.

Aaron and I technically have three kids. Haha! Aaron tried to get a picture of Ella panting like the dogs, but Bob's head cut her tongue off. That picture would've been so funny, though! Bob looks like he's smiling.

No, Ella's not posing like a model in this picture, although it surely looks like she is. Quickly after we got to the playground, Ella had to pee (of course!). So, we leashed the dogs back up, snapped on her helmet and began the painfully slow walk back home.