7 days = 168 hours = 10,080 minutes = 604,800 seconds

Nick's last game of the season.  Two girls joined the team this year - they were kicking butt and taking names.  Soccer was a full contact sport this season.

(Biting his medal.  The Olympics have obviously left a lasting impression.)

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Our basketball standard officially gave up the ghost.  

 The guys spent 5 hours assembling the new one on Monday.  That's right.  FIVE hours.  It was like Legos on steroids.  Lots of testosterone and male bonding going on here.

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The economics fair (monkey on my back) was an absolute success!  And by success I mean we used the least amount of real money to make the largest amount of fake money possible.  Which is exactly the opposite of what we did with our first child.  What 4 kids and 8 years will teach you.    

 (Allie running a raffle for a fish complete with fish bowl, food and net.  

Swedish fish for sale on the side.)  

 (She purchased a "super indelible, won't come off 'til you're dead, maybe even longer" glitter tattoo at the economics fair.  It's the gift that keeps on giving.)

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Mr. Nick got braces.  His fear of getting them was just about as great as his fear of seeing adults dressed up as mascots or Disney characters.  He valiantly muscled through it. 

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The annual end of the school year BBQ in our backyard.

We have fallen completely in love with these boys. 

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Field day.  The PTA asked for 6th grade volunteers to help run it for the younger grades this year.  When I asked Nick if he was going to volunteer he told me that he was scared to because he didn't think the little kids would understand him when he spoke.  (My heart breaking)  Turns out he DID volunteer and he was one of the 6th graders chosen to run a booth.  He was AWESOME!  (My heart soaring)

(And then he ate a BBQ flavored worm just in case his bravery was still in question.) 

 (Little Miss Allie and friends at field day.)

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Graduation Day.  

 (Notice the burnt cheeks from Field Day.  Bad mom.)

When we meet this lady (Paula Swapp) in the eternities she won't be any different than she was here on earth.  She has been an absolute angel, a godsend for our family.  She welcomed our little non-verbal 5 year old with open arms and loved him through his disconnected phase, his angry phase, his indifferent phase, his embarrassed phase.  She has always seen his potential and pushed him to it.  I credit her with Nick's ability to be mainstreamed 7 years ago, after everyone else advised us against it.  She sees Nick through his Savior's eyes.          

 (It was an amazingly surreal and teary day)

Nick's 6th grade teacher realized what Nick was capable of and held him to that standard.  There was a point in the year that I thought the hours of homework each day might push me two steps past crazy but we persisted and endured to the end.  I'll forever be grateful for a teacher that taught us that we can do hard things.  At the end of graduation she took Nick by the hands and said "Nick, out of all the kids I've had I'm going to miss you most."  The feeling is mutual.

So we did it.

We survived the last 7 crazy days, 

the past 7 crazy years.

What a ride.

And just for the record I'm not sure Mr. Matt lives here anymore.  His toothbrush is wet from time to time and I his bed is messed up in the mornings.  He takes his social life as seriously as he takes honors math.  I'm trying to adjust.

And Brayden is either golfing or hanging out with Natalie.
His girlfriend.
Who just so happens to be graduating from High School
at this very moment.