Launched...

She still looks so little in this picture:
Issa and I enjoyed our last stay home afternoon yesterday. She made a thank you card for the library since yesterday ended the summer reading program. She wrote "Library, Thank you, Issa and Evan." I had to help with the spelling, but she wrote it all flawlessly. Then we headed to the park, where she looked very big:

We came home and were enjoying a snack when we felt our first earthquake. I am so slow I checked for big trucks and helicopters before it occurred to me that it was an earthquake. As I finished telling Issa it was an earthquake it stopped, and Issa declared it to be the a fun ride and asked to do it again. I explained the science behind it and that I couldn't just make an earthquake. Issa was disappointed but settled for painting. (By the way, Evan slept through it.)

This morning, Issa headed out for her first whole day! She was so excited she didn't even want to pause for pictures. Hence, this is the face I got:

She was willing to show off her lunch box:

She packed a salad, biscuits, and juice for lunch. She has an apple and cheese stick for morning snack and edamame for afternoon snack. She is happy.

Issa is loving school! Not once has she looked back when I dropped her off, and I barely got, "I love you!" out of my mouth before she closed the van door today. She has made new friends, and she loves her teacher. She has made a necklace from straws and beads every day, and she tells me all about the books and work she did. She can hardly wait for her turn to help take care of the class fish, and the playground is just about the coolest thing ever. Her teacher says she is doing great, and I am so grateful for such a smooth transition.

Now, it's back to reality for me. Time to write and read and teach and do a load of laundry or ten. I have to admit, I am so grateful for a break from finding rhyming words, but I am even more grateful for all this time with my girl.