7 more days until school gets out

7 more days until school gets out.....I cannot wait for the lazy days of summer. It is also very bittersweet because my stepdaughter Bri will be returning to Mississippi to live with her Dad. I sometimes hate the way our family is divided now.

I am going to miss her something terrible. How can you raise and nurture a child for 11 years and not have an empty hole in your heart when she flies from the nest? Briana is 14, a talent artist, wonderful sister and most of the time a joy to be around. She is smart, clever and very beautiful. She is going to be fine but I am going to miss on Sunday morning how she crawls into my bed and just snuggles with me...telling me about her week, her friends, what boy she likes now, begging to go to the mall...being oh so grown up and in some ways still a child.

I know Gabe, Katy and even Adam are going to be very sad when they come back from visiting with their dad and Bri is not here. This is their sister that they have grown up with. Who has fought with them, played countless hours of Beanie Babies, built inside forts and outside secret holes? Who has comforted them, loved them and been there for them.

Last night I took her and Adam to a fancy DC restaurant (Chef Geoff's). We got all dressed up, did valet parking, the whole nine yards. We get seated at this nice candlelit table. Bri is very exciting to be out and looks down at our table and sees that they have paper on top of the cloth tablecloth. She gets all excited and says .. does this mean we get to color on the paper..where are the crayons ?? LOL...I tell her that there are no crayons at Chef Geoff...the price of growing up. :)

We will all love and miss you Bri...and will be counting the days until next summer when you come stay with us for a month.

On another note...I miss all the kids this summer. Gabe and Katy wil be gone awhile also returning in August. And when Adam returns he will have a car and will embark on his last year of high school. I can't believe he will be a senior!!

WHEN I ever finish these two books for NGS ....I will spend the lazy days of my summer painting the house, working out everyday and getting Zumba certifies to teach, I am going to take dance classes and learn the tango.

I am going to workout everyday. :)

I am going to enjoy silence, hearing the crickets at night, sipping a glass of wine under my outside chandelier.