Middle School Mindset

My eleven-year-old, going-to-middle-school, almost-preteen (well, she says she's already preteen) has announced to me that there is now an official middle school dress code that involves this rule: "You HAVE to wear bras to middle school!"

Now, I know that there is a pretty extensive dress code up there. Guys have to tuck in all their shirts that go below a certain point, and they have to wear belts. And girls can't wear spaghetti strap shirts and their shorts or skirts can only go so far above their knees. All EXCELLENT rules in the light of all the hormones running amok among eleven- to thirteen-year-olds. But this bra rule is new to me!

Delaney spent the night with her best friend last week and I'm sure that all the middle school talk reminded Delaney that she isn't quite as "mature" as a lot of the other girls. And, believe me, boy can I identify with that! I avoided bras until I was like 13, but then finally had to beg my mother to get me one. It was pretty miserable being the last girl in my class to get one! And, now, it seems like there are more 10-year-olds walking around with celebrity-sized breasts than me at almost 40!! (Kids are definitely growing up quicker than ever before!)

Anyway...I guess this means that, whether she needs it or not, I will have a Bra Shopping Spree along with the other back-t0-school shopping I do. (Gary, would you like to join me? LOL)

This week I will be registering Delaney for middle school and then McKenna for her sophomore year of high school! It's just SO hard to believe! I have such torn feelings about it--I hate that they are getting older and it's hard to believe that time has flown by so quickly (truly, I feel like I was just 15; I can remember with amazing clarity specific days and moments in my own sophomore year!), but at the same time it is such a fun, exciting time in their lives (the clothes! the friends! the activities!). I just have to stop and remind myself that this is a big time in their lives and not to get consumed with crying about how they're not my little babies anymore (besides, Crazy Get Pregnant at 35 Mom that I am, I have a sweet little three-year-old to still keep me young!! lol). AND, I also want them to stay young and not grow up too quickly. I try to tell them that they can still act like KIDS even though they may not think they can (the wrestling matches, Disney Channel marathons, and sister drama productions makes me feel like I'm doing okay with teaching them that so far!)

This week, then, will be somewhat bittersweet (as it is with the beginning of every school year!). Just ignore my sniffles and tears on the computer screen!

In addition to talking about bras, we had one of those weekends that I could only dimly remember from my past! Meaning...we actually had nothing big planned all weekend. There was NO softball, no practices, no meetings, nowhere we HAD to be! We went to the Aly &AJ concert Friday night (so fun!), I slept until AFTER noon (I can't remember the last time I did that and I felt a little bit guilty about it--for about five minutes! ha!), Gary mowed the front and back yards (I'm sure our neighbors are so grateful for that!), we enjoyed church (had an amazing sermon that got me all fired up!!!!), and then spent Sunday afternoon doing a little bit of nothing!

And now...I have THE book in my hands (McKenna got the Harry Potter book with her Dad this weekend and I vowed to wait until she finished it before I started it; she started it Saturday morning and had it read and given over to me last night at eleven!), so I'm wanting to read it all day long today! But, I will have to mix it in with doing some writing and cleaning up around the house. But, I am SO excited about finally getting to it!

And... tomorrow is my 400th POST!! So, make sure you come by tomorrow for all sorts of FESTIVITIES!!!! It's gonna be fun!!!!!