Preschool graduate

Remember when this day happened last August?

It's her first day of preschool!  I can't believe how young she looks!

Well, guess what happened last Friday?

I can't believe how OLD she looks!

My little girl a-graduated! 

She is positive the term is "a-graduated."  I can just see how that went down at preschool: "Kids, have you ever heard of a graduation?  A graduation is when..."

Here is her teacher, Mrs. Marni, who is FABULOUS!  I loved loved loved having her as Brynn's preschool teacher.  She understood Brynn so well and brought out the best in her and truly loved her.   Brynn grew so much, especially socially.  Brynn has no problem telling  other kids that they are doing something that is "NOT praise-wurvy," which understandably really annoys them.  Then they say or do something rude, then she cries.  But her skin is slowly getting thicker and she is learning that it's not up to her to discipline everyone.  Having said that, she is so very kind and loving.  She just wants everyone to be happy, and if they aren't, she  takes it upon herself to fix it and find a way to make them happy.  She is always saying that one of her talents is making people happy.  She wants to be best friends with everyone and get along with everyone.  She wants to be a missionary and talk to the neighborhood kids about her church.  She wants to obey.  She has so many sincere, beautiful desires.  Another sad spiritual gift - godly sorrow.  OH, how this girl feels guilt.  I really have to pick and choose the times I come down on her hard.  I want to expect a lot from her, but it is absolutely heart-wrenching to see her realize her mistakes and feel so badly about them.  Honestly, it's overwhelming to have the responsibility of raising a child like her - not because she is hard, but because I can't imagine the feeling if I screwed up and didn't help  her to reach her full potential.

 "Brynn" is synonymous with the word "create."  She could be happy creating all day every day.  Let's see, this week it was decorations for a fancy dinner, fans, lockets, picture books, music (on my finale program on the computer - but no, she doesn't really know what she's doing on it), cards for some of her favorite "grown-ups" in the ward, and on and on.  I think her most prized possession is her little red desk.  She is also constantly planning big events, like "Let's make a fancy dinner for daddy and you and daddy can have a date, but you have to kiss each other before you eat!"  Or "today is happy swim lessons day, and we'll celebrate it by...."  And Brynn DEFINITELY got the performing gene.  At her a-graduation when it was her turn, it didn't ruffle her feathers a bit to introduce herself and things about herself.  She stood up and confidently said, "Hello!  My name is Brynn!  I love to play on the playground!" (etc).  She's a total ham.  She could talk or perform in front of one or one hundred and it wouldn't make a bit of difference.  Ooooh, what I can do with a music student like that... (greedily rubbing my hands together)

 One last thing - Brynn's singing.  The other thing that Brynn could do all day is swing and sing at the top of her lungs.  Like, American Idol style.  And that's kind of embarrassing. But when she sings quiet lullabies to Gabe (especially "Feed the Birds"), she has such a good pitch, pure tone, and beautiful vibrato, she has honestly brought me to tears.  And I'm not the only one.

Ah, but she is growing way too fast.  As evidenced by this series of pictures which I call, "Mom, you're ebarrassing me!"

Brynn Josie, Age 5