Where has the time gone?!

Today was Lauren's first day of junior high! Yep, our little girl is a 7th grader now - can you believe it?! Where has the time gone? I feel like I just walked her to her first day of kindergarten yesterday, and now my baby is as tall as I am! In fact, on Wednesday, we were all wearing the same shirts (squad and coaches) at camp, and Lauren said the other girls mistook her for me several times until she turned around! Personally, I think she's way cuter than I am, but I do see the similarities. I'm just hoping she's not too much like I was as a teenager....

Lindsey's open house is tonight. I can't believe she's a FIRST GRADER!!! She's going to be in school all day now! I'm so not ready for all of this. Even Emily is so big now. She's going to her second year of preschool, and I know she'll be reading by Christmas (super academic preschool). She still looks like a baby - albeit a super tall one. How did this happen? How are these sweet, little girls getting so grown up without us noticing?? Are we just so incredibly sleep-deprived that we just aren't very observant? I really thought that their childhoods would take longer.

The big question is: have Kent and I taught them everything they need to know up to this point? Have we taught them every value and developed every trait they need to have by this time in each of their lives? Probably not, since I'm sure we're the most quirky, undisciplined parents alive. But I do hope that we've taught them enough so far that they'll at least be prepared for the coming year's challenges. Then I look at our amazingly mature, charitable Lauren, intelligent, friendly Lindsey, and our sweet, enthusiastic Emily, and I realize they'll be just fine.

Now we just need to focus on a few minor details - like decent bedtimes and chores.