My 365 Project

August 15, 2016

So I guess this 365 Project or #365 or whatever you want to call it is a thing.  I have plenty of friends who have done the picture a day for a year thing and called it various things, and I've paused long enough to think "nice idea" and then haven't really given it another thought.  I kind of thought that in order to do it on instagram or FB or whatever that I had to use the #365 thing and if I'm being totally honest, I don't get hashtags.  I'm too old.  They make absolutely zero sense to me.  So there.

All that being said, I've had this idea floating around in my head for a while which is along the same lines as a 365 Project although I confess that my motivation has absolutely zero to do with any kind of efforts to improve my photography skills (apparently a thing too).  My motivation is completely and totally to document Abbey's last year at home.

(and 3,2,1- cue tears...)  

Seriously, it's that simple.  Tears flowing.  Wow I am a mess. 

 Anyway, I hope it will become something special for our family- a picture a day for the last year that our family of 6 will be under one roof.  Yes, I do realize that a major point of parenting is to launch them and launch them well but MAN, I am having a hard time with the reality setting in that less than a year from now, our family will be forever changed.  I'm not saying it's bad.  It's just so stinkin' hard to wrap my brain around!!  I think about AJ being on the other side of the ocean from us, and I think about the hole that will leave here in our home not only for Jason and me but also for her sisters, and then a stupid Carrie Underwood song comes on her playlist about a daughter going to college and that's it for me.  Stupid tears won't stop flowing.  At least at this point every one else in the house is just laughing at crazy mom but their time will come and I will have zero sympathy!

Anyway, I also hope that it will be the kick start that I need to start blogging again.  Not that I think anyone is really missing anything that I have to say, but I miss documenting our family's lives in this way.  Most days will probably just be a picture but maybe some days I'll have time to say a little more...

I picked August 15th as a start day because this was the day we went to get books at the girls new school so kind of an un-official start to Abbey's Senior year, but also because I figure August 15th is a pretty safe bet for wherever we will be dropping Abbey off next fall.  (and tears again)

Ok, seriously, I thought I might have some more profound things to say on this subject but I am honestly emotionally and physically exhausted.  Mostly emotionally.  In case you've never lived in a house with 4 daughters, it is EXHAUSTING.  Exhilarating, fun, full of oh so many words, but also EXHAUSTING!   So since I didn't get around to starting this post until after 10 PM,  there will be no wise, profound words included here.

Just a normal day picture.  Starting today and continuing for the next 365 days.  (at least here's hoping!)

This is actually kind of the perfect example of a day in the life of emotionally charged girls....  So Maddie got her braces off today- yay!  Abbey has had hers on for over 2 years and was less than thrilled.  (especially since Maddie has only had hers for 7 months)   They posed for a series of goofy pictures and all was well until 10 minutes later I find Abbey in tears that she still has braces.   She's "laugh crying" (that's a thing if you didn't know) about how she doesn't know why she's crying but just wants the stupid braces off.   So then Maddie feels guilty for celebrating and sad for Abbey because, well, because Maddie is Maddie, and then it just all goes downhill from there.  There may have been a bit of a spat in there about their room as well which looks a little something like this:

Maddie's side (left) is significantly messier than it looks in the picture and Abbey may or may not have been a wee bit frustrated that Maddie spent the afternoon sipping tea and reading Harry Potter (yes, literally) while Abbey cleaned and organized her whole side including all the newly purchased school supplies.   This was somehow compounded by the whole braces thing.   I don't know why or how but it was.  Maybe if Maddie still had braces on she would have cleaned her room?  Who knows!  

Shockingly enough, the drama from the younger end of our 4 was very much kept to a minimum today!  It may just be that I wasn't with them much and I'm quite sure their time will come.  For now, though, my brain is thoroughly exhausted from processing all the above mentioned emotion along with plenty of other fun drama that will remain unmentioned for now.  

That's one day down out of 365 and I feel quite accomplished!