lately, my heart has not fully been my own.

i always share it with the many people that i know and love, but since august 19, when i found out about their accident, it keeps going back, over and over and over and over again, to the nielsons. their story has raged through blog land and beyond, but in case you dont know, stephanie and christian (husband and wife) were in a private plane crash and both are recovering from severe burns. they have four children under the age of six. their story has touched many people, i see it everyday when i check her sister’s blog for updates. for me, it has not only touched my heart, but it has brought back the incredible pain, sadness, worry, and fear that we went through as a family when mckenna was burned three and a half years ago. my daughter is a burn survivor.

i think that this has taken such a huge chunk of my heart because i have gone through what they are going through, to a degree. i feel so close to them, in spirit. ive never met them, yet i worry everyday for stephanie and her husband, for their children, for her mother and father, brothers and sisters. i literally cannot stop my heart and my brain from thinking of them. every five minutes, at least, my thoughts and hope and worry for them wash over my body. and i know i am not alone. i know there are many many people out there that feel the same. and did for us also when mckenna was hospitalized. and i am glad for them, because i remember the support and love that i received. i felt like the entire world was underneath us, holding us up. the whole world was thinking about my daughter, worrying about her, just like i am now for them. i made it through everyday for my family because everyday i would come home and read the support that was sent to me. and it would make me strong enough to do it just one more day.

and if any of them may read this, i hope that i can be that for them. that thing that might help them make it just one more day. and i want them to know that healing will come. and that i wish there was something that i, a complete stranger to them, could do. to take away the pain and the fear and the questions. but all i can do is say, here, i was there where you are. and i made it through. and she made it through. and we all made it through.

for information on how you can help this family, should you have the means or desire to do so, go here.

first things first, about the dusk shots at the fair. those were all shot with my trusty 5d at 3200 ISO and my 24-70 @ 2.8. easy peasy.

second, mom shared the info on her jeans in the comments.

third, she was just fine after the slide. we all had a great laugh.

okay i have literally ten minutes to finish up this post and pick up my kid at kindergarten, so here we go.

everyone had fabulous first days. drew, who i was most worried about, came home and looked 15 years old suddenly. he has risen to the occasion and is making me so proud. i am settling into the idea that i have a middle schooler(s). and im liking it. its a whole new era, away from elementary school and towards college, and it freaks me out, but im so happy for him. he is doing such a great job.

nate was off first…so excited about his new rolling backpack. loves his new teachers (they share the class). most excited about bonus bucks.

then mckenna got onto her bus. no news from her teacher is good news i suppose. she was most excited about picking up her best friend chase.

and we dropped drew off. here he is eyeballing his schedule and the school map. he loves the new freedom of passing periods and PIZZA AT LUNCH?!

and last but not least, my little bananna. so excited (“kindergarten is JUST like pre-school mom. only you learn how to read and do math.”) and nervous. (i can tell by how she is sticking out her tongue. a sure sign of nerves.)

okay gotta GO!