Blog Beginning as Summer's Ending

Here we go with a new attempt at keeping you all informed and up to date with life in our realm of the world. I'm hoping to do an update every Sunday, but make no solid promises to do so. :)

The end of summer break comes this week and school is fast approaching. (The picture is a shot at Clear Lake in June during one of our fishing expeditions.) This year feels like a "BIG" one for the Grimm Gang...

Panda will be the only Grimm at our elementary school this year...a feat that last occured 10 years ago. He is nervous about what life at school means without a big brother or two looking out for him.

Big-J still hasn't decided if he is excited about entering middle school, or ready to drop out early. He is still struggling to figure out the combination locks that will be a regular part of his school life. His dyslexia seems to be getting in the way as the numbers jump around and bring him to frustration. Big-J has also begun to have definite opinions about hair styles and clothing choices. It's been interesting to watch, but sad to realize how quickly he is growing up.

Camo is happy to have one of his friends coming to the AEA school with him this year. He also is hoping to have more time in reintegration at the middle school. At the same time he is anxious about his schedule since they still have not made a final draft of which periods he will be spending at each school.

Moose is entering high school! He is a bit overwhelmed by the size of the school and unhappy about all the unknowns of life as a freshman. On the positive side, he was thrilled that we instituted a new rule this year that gave him his own clothing allowance and (nearly) free reign to purchase his own wardrobe.

Stormin' is happy about being a junior this year. I am the one who is having a hard time with it. Can my first baby really be an upperclassman? Yikes! He is still debating the whole band thing. He loves music, but is frustrated by the major time commitments that came along with band, full orchestra, and jazz band. Choosing will be difficult for him, and I suspect he will once again attempt to do it all. It's just his nature.

I'm FINALLY entering my senior year at UNI. I'm so excited to finally come to the end of this journey that started so many years ago. At the same time, I do worry about juggling 15 hours of classes (plus homework), family, part-time work, and all my volunteer and church responsibilities. I know it's possible because I've been doing it already, I just have to take it one step at a time.

MustangMan is hoping to finish restoring the Mustang sometime this year. (Stormin' is also hoping for that and has offered his assistance in exchange for at least one senior picture with the car next summer.) That is also a long-awaited project. Maybe he will get it done by May and we'll both have something to celebrate.