An apology to my 5th child...

I would like to go ahead and make an apology to you, my sweet child. 

I am so very sorry... 

I'm sorry some family members wont acknowledge your existence until they see you at Easter. 

You will be the center of our attention every single day. 

I'm sorry that people aren't as excited about you as they were with baby #1. 

Your mama, daddy, and brothers are thrilled and can't wait to meet you!

I'm sorry that people wont dote on you like they did with Zachary. 

Your mama, daddy and brothers will make up for it, I promise.  

I'm sorry that people assume that because you are the fifth child, you are more of a burden than a blessing.

You have always been considered a blessing to us, but are even more of a blessing to us after loosing 2 babies before you.

I'm sorry you will be given a number, instead of a name before you are born.

I try to say your name often so you'll know your name isn't "baby number 5".

I'm sorry that your daddy and I are bringing you into a world that will look at our family and think you are only here because we wanted a girl.

We loved you before we knew your gender. 

I'm sure this will be the first of many apologies I give you while I'm borrowing you from God...

I will try to show you why having 5 kids can be just as rewarding as having one. I pray that as you grow you want your home to be blessed with a house full of children as well. 

I pray that hearts are changed and people see that our home may be crazy, loud, and insane to others... but its perfect to us. 

Zachary is perfect. 

Brennon is perfect.

Tripp is perfect.

Landry is perfect.

And you my sweet baby girl are perfect. 

PTO

It's a new school year...

Zachary started 2nd grade today (tear) 

and Brennon started kindergarten. (another tear) 

I was pleasantly surprised to see that this year they added a calendar of events 

in the student handbook.

For a planner mom like myself, this rocks!! However, I had to laugh at a few items in the August section.

Biggest Letdown. 

PTO meetings.

They will take place at 3:00. 

Seriously? 3:00? School lets out at 2:35 each day... and I'm not sure if I'm the only parent who is getting 2 extra wild kids off the school bus around that time but I barely have time to get a snack in them and homework started before thinking of doing anything else... especially rounding up my family of 6 (for now) and heading back out the door to a PTO meeting- alone, because like most parents, my husband is working until 4. 

I know I've heard a few times last year that the PTO members were frustrated at the lack of members, participation and overall enthusiasm regarding what is going on with the school. 

Let me the voice of reasoning... 

A 3:00 meeting midweek is absurd. Whats more absurd is expecting people- parents of children who attend that school to actually come to the meetings. 

I'm not saying a meeting at 6pm would mean every single parent would make it to each meeting. But I am saying you aren't really giving any parent a chance to come when you hold it at 3:00 in the afternoon. 

Nothing excites me more than attending a mid-day PTO meeting alone listening to 5 kids scream about being hungry, tired, and ready to go home after being there for 8 hours. 

I'm sorry to burst your balloon PTO members but if ONE parent shows up to this meeting you should consider it a success. 

My second biggest letdown? 

Box tops. 

If you taught my sweet Zachary last year and the year before that you probably received 50 different notes and emails asking about the results of the box top challenges. 

(Yes, you read that right, 2 years worth) 

In a total of 4 (I believe- may have been more) box top challenges I have heard results from ONE. 

ONE. 

ONE!!! 

UNO!!

1!!!

What is so frustrating is I must be the ONLY parent who actually reads the forms sent home, getting my children all excited to gather, cut, clip, and save every single box top they can find so they can win this challenge. Some offer gift cards- others TV's, and of course, recognition in the newsletter they send out each month. 

And guess what happens? 

NOTHING.

NADA.

ZILCH. 

NOT A SINGLE THING. 

So please excuse me this year for not bothering with reading that precious tree you sent home regarding the box top challenge. I will not be participating this year. 

I will not be harassing the teachers to find out why the PTO members aren't doing what they promised... and I will no longer stress about getting the most box tops so my kids can have that moment of excitement that all their hard work all summer paid off by winning this challenge. 

Box Top Challenge? 

FAIL. 

Epic Fail...