And here we all are.

Finn is sick (more on that later).

Uriah is sick of his job (wishing we were independently wealthy).

And, Abby...well, Abby got a role in her school play.  She has the most lines (She counted.  She counted everyone's lines.  She has the most.  She tells us daily.).

This is going to be an interesting experience.

Play practice is at 7:00 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday...IN THE MORNING!  What happened to practicing after school, people?  I am not very agreeable to the morning-times and I am less so when I have to drive the girl that is BFF with the AM to school and listen to her run her lines...AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING!

Lord help me.

I also found a list in the bottom of her backpack yesterday.  It was titled: Things I need for school and it included such items as: hair ties, brush, deo (I guess that's shorthand for deodorant? At least she's conscious of body odor, so, bonus.), toothbrush and mouthwash (um...what?  I have to remind her to brush her teeth at night, but she wants to do it in school?!  I'm not complaining; brush away!  But don't try to tell me it's for dental hygiene.  I'm sure the real reason is a boy.), and...mascara.

Mascara?  Seriously?  Mascara?!  The rule in our house is that she has to wait at least until she's 13 to start wearing make-up in public.  We've had issues with her school uniform in the past and I know that she's aching to have her own style and that's really hard to do when you have to wear a uniform to school, so probably the only way those girls can establish some sort of identity is to wear make-up.  And I have seen the make-up job on some of those girls at her school.  I don't believe that any visit to the cosmetics counter would result in the application technique I've seen applied in the school hallways.  But, based on the money that I spend for prescription face cream, I want to keep her face as clean and clear as possible for as long as I can.

I think I'm fighting an uphill battle here, people.