Big Week

Monday Morning. One week until school starts!! Yippee. Maggie loves school and I love the freedom that the school day brings. Before Maggie goes back, however, her brother Tim leaves for college. He's going to the same school as our older son Eddie. It was a big adjustment when the first brother left and this one will be even tougher. With both of them gone Maggie will be stuck only with us. I'm not sure Maggie gets that, even though we've told her many many times.

Both boys really hang out with Maggie when they're home. Tim holds her in the chair on lays on the floor holding her while watching TV. Maggie doesn't really watch TV because of her visual impairment, but she LOVES watching her brothers react to the television. Both of them include her in their chatter or commentary about whatever they're watching and she loves that. They can be watching the most violent gangster movie and Maggie's just cracking up. If they're watching something funny she laughs at them laughing. Often she's laughing so hard we have to make sure she's still breathing. It's not the same with the old parents.

Tim leaves Wednesday. It's hard on Mom and Dad and it will be very hard on Maggie. I don't really think it will be that easy for Tim either. Starting college is scary for anyone. He's lucky that he will have his brother Eddie in the same town, but I doubt he'll need that after the first week or so. Tim is very close to Maggie and she adores him. He is going to miss her more than anyone else.

Above: Tim and Maggie with the birthday cake she helped prepare. Right: the prep