brace yourself

i know i should be lamenting about how my little girl is all grown up, but i have a better story for you.  (it is still about her, and you can check out the pictures below to see her first step into awkward prepubescence and you can even click here so you can see why this processes was a little accelerated)  and just so you know, i was all ready to be sad about my little girl growing up.  i had my woes all lined up.  but this is better.  seriously...

i picked her up just before they let the monkeys out of third grade and off to the feeding trough.  it is a zoo in there.  as luck would have it, my main man was in line with his arms folded and his lips sealed just like he is supposed too.  he is a rockstar in that line, but i did score not one but two kisses and a hug.  anywhoven...i digress.
we, the nani and me, get into the car and go speed racing down 240.  the sun was shining on us.  we were chatting away about the birds and the fish and the sparkling water like you do when you are about to cross the thresh hold from little kid to big kid.
it was blissful.  i don't say that lightly.  i mean, i got warm all over. i smiled from here to there. i was head over heals in love for this being that she is. if this is who she is growing up to be, what did i have to be sad over?  i was thinking how i really could spend every day talking to her like this...listening to her like this. 

i could not contain it!!  so i told her so.  i told her i wish we could do this every day.  and i meant it.
and you know what she came back with?

"i don't know all the things you know, so i need to keep going to school."

she thinks i know stuff!  and she thinks it's important to know stuff too! 

i can't get over this girl. 


and on top of all that, she is unbelievably gorgous.