i survived...

ya know, it wasn't so bad.

yes, hazel picked this outfit out from top to bottom at the store and instantly dubbed it her first day of school outfit. the kid's got style...

not unlike her sister, who also got a "first day of school" outfit, even though today she went to the same place she always goes.

i think molly teared up a bit when we walked away.

see? see that big smile on my face?

talk about smiles!

i was actually surprised at how well i was doing. i had actually said good-bye to hazel without crying. and then, a teacher who taught there when i taught there saw me and came in the room and said, "hazel can't be in kindergarten! it seems like just yesterday you were pregnant with her!) and then, i lost it. i started to bawl and the woman promptly shoved me out the room before hazel could see me.

and the day was a bit sad and strange, but i think what will will be sadder and stranger will be when it's weeks on end and it becomes normal... but she absolutely loved it. her words were "i had the best day ever" when i picked her up. that makes me very happy.

mushrooms!

this weekend we went for a glorious camping trip up near telluride. we joined our friends gary, shannon, gavin, and ava.

(what do you think they are talking about, shannon?)

we didin't realize it when we planned the trip, but it was the annual mushroom festival in telluride this weekend. now, now, pipe down, not that kind of mushroom festival... to illustrate, let me just say that all of the following photos were taken during one rather short early morning bike ride. (yes, shannon and i were jumping off and on our bikes a lot.) the locals have chosen to celebrate the bounty that occurs this time of year surrounding their town.

(okay, apparently if you were to ingest this one, you might hallucinate for up to two days...)

there were handy displays to teach you how to identify all of the varieties, which ones were edible, etc. it was pretty cool.

i had the sweetest little audience when i played. (you can tell junebug is really enjoying it...)

i've just snuck into hazel's room to kiss her goodnight, again, one more time before things will never be the same... wish me luck tomorrow; i'm a bit of a wreck...