My sweet little Katie, the little girl who JUST started kindergarten, like, two weeks ago (seriously, I just recently stopped crying about it) is now graduating from the fifth grade. HOW did that happen so fast? I can’t even take it.

But anyway, the fifth grade girls got to have a Tea one day last week in the school library, and it was a fun chance to dress up in pretty dresses and be elegant ladies with manners and hear inspiring speakers. 

We heard from Shana Steele, counselor at Moore Middle School, about the ins and outs of changing classes and having your own locker. I tried my best to tune her out because I wasn’t ready to hear any of that.

Next, the lovely Joanna Rathbun, who told amazing stories of great adventures starting out life as a Missionary Kid in Korea, to playing sand volleyball in the Olympics…

She told the girls that our greatest strength is free will. Every day, she said, we wake up with the opportunity to choose what our day will be. Will be be disciplined? Will we be lazy? It’s all our own choice. Brilliant words. And she also inspired in me the goal of getting my girls involved in sports for the discipline and mental toughness. ASAP. 

And then there was Laura Peycke, who also had her share of fabulous adventures cycling all over the world, before she settled down to become an Aggie animal doctor. GUESS who was GLUED to her speech, and her power point presentation of bloody animal pictures… well, besides me, of course… my sweet Katie, who has wanted to be an animal doctor since she could walk. 

Katie’s animal doctor Halloween costume, age 4. Her idea.

My favorite thing that Laura said was that she always knew she wanted to be a vet, but didn’t think she was smart enough. It took massive encouragement from her parents, who told her, “If THIS is what you want to do, we will MAKE IT HAPPEN.” I made a mental note to tell Katie that same thing, and often.

I spoke to Ms. Peycke afterward, decided I wanted to be her new BFF, and made plans to tour the animal hospital at A&M with Katie at some point this summer. WHOOP!

Look, if I can survive the emotional trauma of getting this kid INTO kindergarten, then OUT of fifth grade, college will be a piece of cake.

And speaking of cake, I made these muffins for the Tea, and they were SO buttery and delicious that I’m adding them to my Short List of Delicious Things to Make for Dessert.