Bulletin Doodles

For a change, our church bulletin had a huge white space in it instead of the usual bullet points with fill in the blanks.  Normally, Roxy does a Mad-Lib style rewriting of Scott's sermon notes.  Some of them are pretty funny.  Today, Roxy was inspired by "The Story of Everything," a you-tube video from Austrailia, I think.  We love that one. 

So, Roxy illustrates sin.  With a lizard instead of a snake?  Go figure.

Sketchpad: Darby's Latest Project

Sometime this summer, Darby started to draw.  She has always kind of dabbled, even as a two year old.  I remember distinctly one evening in Houston when Darby was two and she started drawing page after page of people, with lots of specific features.  It seemed to be something that happened overnight.

So, the latest overnight change in my eldest daughter is drawing.  Suddenly, with no instruction outside of a couple of library books on art, we have a daughter who is filling sketch pads with her art.  And now we have the makings of a graphic novel.  I cannot wait to see what happens next with this girl.

...Go See a Man About a Horse

 

 My city slicker daughters have never got to have much interaction with animals of the non-stuffed variety.  So, on a particularly glorious Sunday afternoon, they accepted an invitation to feed and groom a horse.  Roxy was very excited about this, which also means she was nervous about it as well.  Darby was totally cool about it all, which means she is officially a teenager and she is beyond acting like a kid now.  Sigh.

They liked the cleaning and the grooming, and when it was time to ride, they both did a great job.  Roxy got to wear her Oklahoma State Fair cowboy hat, and that made her very happy.  She was not so confident about riding the horse, but by the time she got on the horse for the second time, she was pretty happy with what she had learned.

The best news of the day was this:  these girls do not want their own horse.  Daddy could not be more pleased.  Which also means:  they may get to go out and take care of the horse again.  It is a win-win for all.

Just Enjoy the Show

Yes, she is amazing (to me.)  I could watch her all day.  And now, my house is filled with music and singing and my mothering dream has come true :)

I must apologise for the whiny quality of the volume.  This girl needs better technology to show off her voice, and we are determined to get better technology sometime soon.  And, in case you were wondering, Roxy is reading the graphic novel version of Twilight in the background.  It is Darby's book and she is fascinated with it.  Next, she will be reading the graphic novel version of The Scarlet Letter.  We are so cultured around these parts.

Teenage Drama Queen

I've been thinking about my teenager today.  As of today, I have a teenager.  Gulp.

I pulled out the scrapbooks to reflect on my daughter.  I decided to scan a page for this blog post, as a tribute to what 10 years can do in the life of my little teenaged girl.

Ten years ago, Darby talked just like Anne Shirley from the Anne of Green Gables books.  Ten year ago, Darby expressed every thought in her head with shocking clarity.  Ten years ago, Darby would wake up at 4 a.m. and insist it was time to get up because she deemed it so, even though the sun would never obey her and rise.  Ten years ago, Darby was three.  It is all a blur right now.

Three was not a good year.  Lots of good moments, but a pretty tough year.

But that year is in a galaxy far, far away now.  Everything has changed.  For the better.  I am so grateful for this girl, for what God has given her, and for everything I have experienced with Darby.  Happy 13th birthday sweetheart.

Little Girls/Big Girls

The blues hit me today.  My girls are all grown up and I am merely an alarm that wakes them in the morning.  They get themselves ready, put in their contacts, fix their hair (but I sometimes intervene anyway), pack their lunches, do the dishes, clean the bathrooms and their bedrooms.  They still need me, but they are very self sufficient in many ways.  Sniff, sniff.

The blues hit me today when I looked at this photo.  Probably one of my all-time favorites.  I actually teared up.  Darby was in second grade and still refused to wear her glasses all the time.  Roxy was three and was learning how to get candy from every living human being by showing them those cute puppy-dog eyes and being impossibly sweet.  AND they let me dress them in coordinating outfits.  They were not perfect children, but they were completely, wholly unique, fascinating, and mine.  They needed me 24/7.

I thought about a recent photo we took of the girls on one of our random road trips and I thought of how I was seeing them now and how I saw my daughters way back then.

Maybe this is all just a precursor to the new reality:  I am 40 and am about to be the parent of a thirteen year old daughter whose mind goes so far beyond my expectations and whose intellect and love for words still blows me away.  She actually scares me sometimes.  And she is so beautiful too.  The other reality:  my baby will be turning 10 this year.  To this day, every photo I see of her, I see her as a baby.  My baby, who can make us laugh when she uses her sarcasm, her goofy faces, her infectious laugh.  And she is so beautiful too.

This recent photo shows me something that I had always hoped and prayed for:  my girls loving each other.  Roxy would do absolutely anything for her big sister and will go to great lengths to impress her and please her and defend her.  Darby looks out for her little sister, tolerates her better than anyone on the planet, and she is always so helpful and full of good advice for her.  Their kindness towards one another is startling.

I want to freeze this new reality and keep it forever.  Or, at least I don't want to mess it up.  Here's hoping that in another six years, I will see the same things in that picture.

A Tale of Two Daughters

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  It was the first day of school.

I did not shed a single tear this year as I kicked my little chickies out of the nest.  I could only hope for the best.  This is how their stories go:

Tale #1:  Daughter woke at 6 am, full of life and happiness.  Yay!  First day of school!  Daughter already had her clothes picked out (a graphic tee with the slogan "Nerd Alert" on it.  No, I am not making this up.)  Obligatory first day of school picture is taken with her sporting a lovely peace sign-covered backpack (worn on one shoulder only this year.  She has matured.)  Was so excited to be "older" this year, in the same hall as the oldest kids.  Lots of new students in class and she is going to be friends with them, but is not sure if she will ever remember their names.  Sits by all boys - by choice?  Watch out for that one, Scott.  Surrounded by friends at lunch, has a very happy recess on brand new playground equipment, rides home with a good buddy from class and the bus driver does not yell or anything bad.  Daughter is greeted at the door by me, holding a glass bowl filled with peanut butter M&Ms.  One minute later, I am signing every possible permission slip required by the administration.  Daughter proudly shows me her homework binder that she has organized with tabs, her very first agenda, and perfect handwriting is all over it.  She immediately does her homework as I toss her M&Ms.  Then, we go do our cardio workout.  Daughter is not tired yet and cannot stop talking about her exciting day.  Evening is capped off with a brand new Adventure Time with Finn and Jake.  Life is wonderful.

Tale #2:  Daughter drags her weary body out of bed.  Could not go to sleep last night - must have been nail polish fumes in her bedroom or something like that.  The hair is pretty big this morning, so she must bind the hairy beast.  Slumps at the breakfast table.  Packs her own lunch, and I smile because she is showing some gumption now.  Dresses in her newest clothes, which includes jeans with lots of holes in them, but none in revealing places, so they pass the dress code.  Daughter wears her new Keds with the yellow laces, which reminds me of being in middle school and wearing my Keds, too.  No first day photo - she is too mature for that.  Makes a mournful face and trudges off to the bus stop.  At least the makeup looks good on her, and no breakouts :)  Comes home 30 minutes late, but it is because she chose to walk home from school.  Walked home with lots of other kids and liked it?  Yes, it's true.  Had the best possible thing happen at school:  the counselors finally put her on the correct team where she has all of the classes and actually has friends.  She is no longer a transient soul!  She is happy!  She found friends at lunch!  She is impressed with a couple of teachers!  She is excited about all of the chorus activities this year!  Wicked!  Disney!  Singing at Braves and Hawks games!  She is not in P.E.!  And she is eating peanut butter M&Ms, happily watching Psych reruns on cable!  She has not had a good first day of school in years - the drought is over, and this mom feels saturated with the good things that blessed her daughters today.  Life is wonderful.

And then we grabbed our church bulletins and got free sandwiches at Chic-Fil-A.  The End.