back-to-school + duck update

in the midst of sadness

over my very literal empty nest,

i have been busy

with the back-to-school rituals

for my kids.

emily started school on monday.

this is her friend, tolley, on the left.

{get a load of the first-day-of-school lashes on tolley.}

marian starts school this monday.

she has mastered the art of the combination lock

well in advance.

ned starts school this monday, as well.

per his grandparents' request,

he received a kindergarten haircut.

{before}                            {after}

and now, the duck update.

your comments from yesterday's post

have meant so much to me.

this has been tougher than i had expected.

this evening, we went to visit the ducks.

pip rushed to my side

and ate the cracked corn i brought.
pip sat in my lap
and checked to see if i was wearing earrings.
(you know, to try to peck them out of my ears.)
we did not see patito,
but it was getting dark and it was hard to see.
patito is better at being a duck & blending-in.
pip, less so.
and i worry about that.
thankfully, we were able to walk away
without pip following us.
i know it's only the first day,
but what will i do
if pip doesn't seem to crack the code of ducks?
what if pip would rather live with us?
emily reminded me tonight
that it was "the summer of the ducks,"
not "the lifetime of the ducks."

please remind me that i'm doing the right thing.

♥