the readers

They have always loved books.
Always.
Laura was an early reader. Three months into kindergarten I brought home a few learn-to-read books to practice with her... thinking that it would be a good start. She was thrilled... and proceeded to sit right down and read every word. The first time through. And there has been no stopping her since. My daughter would rather read a book then do anything else. If you see her without a book in tow, please let me know... because there is likely to be something really wrong!
Camden started slowly. He wasn't too interested in the words... or even the letters. He just really loved the books themselves. He would lay on the floor for hours (yes, hours... even at two and three years old!) amidst a shelf's worth of books, turning page after page. In first grade he was still struggling...and I truly believe that if not for his love of books themselves, he might have given up on reading. But that summer... someone gave him a stack of Garfield comic books. I will never forget the day... we were driving along and a shout of glee-filled laughter filtered up to the front. What are you doing back there? And he replied... I'm reading. And I could not stop those tears from falling.
Saturday morning we were making our way to Gramma's... and Laura had her nose in her current book. Camden was just watching the world fly by as we closed the distance between home and Gramma's. Looking up for a moment, she noticed that he wasn't really doing anything. No video game. No book. And she said I have another book with me if you want to read it. Igiggled to myself... not surprised at all! She went on to explain the plot and added in that she thought he would enjoy it.
And so... those readers of mine... they read.

I love to seek the beauty in the ordinary... and I love Tuesdays at Chatting at the Sky!

this ends tonight

Last football game.
Last hurrah for the season.
And I am missing it already...

kiln starts with k

Obviously... this is not a kiln. But it did come out of a kiln. And please, excuse the faux flower arrangement. I have not had the time to find the proper blooms for this very special piece made by my daughter's own two hands... but was too anxious to set it aside completely unadorned.

Laura is enjoying this ceramics class... in fact, I think she is living for it (and yearbook.) And I love to listen and hear her go on and on and on... about this piece and that. The process of the rolling and sculpting and carving. The way you hand over a piece of yourself to the kiln... all the while hoping that your work was not in vain, and the kiln will be kind. And the relief mixed with complete and utter joy when her piece emerges from the kiln intact. She heartbreakingly relayed that her friend's castle was not so lucky...

She may be living for this class... but me? I am living for those eyes that sparkle with delight. I am living for her voice that bubbles joyfully. I am living for those pieces, embossed with her very own fingerprints, that are an extension of who she is... and just maybe... who she dreams she will be.

It is Monday... and so I join my A to Z friends over at Jen's Unglazed. I'm anxious to see what the others have chosen this week... and especially wondering if Jen has found a photo of a a "K" bird!

ribbons & bows

It has been a million years... another lifetime ago... since I tied her hair up in pigtails. But today... just for fun... we sat down again, just us, with the comb and assortment of colored hair elastics. Who knew that sitting down with my girl would bring on such nostalgia?

So off she went... in pigtails and streamers and a growling grin... for Homecoming at the 'Ridge. Go bears!

meringue starts with m

Using her new lime green Nintendo DS(that would be DS #5... thank you extended warranty!)and its cooking game, Laura made a pavlova... which is a meringue shell topped with a sweet cream and beautiful fruit. An Australian dessert. It was... as delicious as it was beautiful. And I loved that she was busy in the kitchen... cooking away. One and a while she called out for a hand, but she really did it on her own. I was impressed... probably because she was not daunted by the thought of trying something completely new... and not once did it travel through her mind that she might not be able to do it. Me? I would have leafed right on by that page in my cookbook. She is growing up in so many ways... and her confidence is growing right along with her. And I am thrilled.

Glad I am not missing out on A to Z Monday! I'm so glad Jen puts up with me! Happy Monday.

a tiny gift

I don't know if she suddenly released her grasp from the tangled carpet fringe while I was vacuuming, or if it had just taken years for her to make her way down through the inner workings of the la-z-boy chair... but regardless of the how, there she tumbled... at my feet. To another, she might appear to be just a bit of plastic, her expression worn off with time, but to me, a mother... this little Polly is so much more. She is a glimpse back... to laughter and little clam shell cases. She brings me back... to stretched out days of playing, with the sun streaming through the windows. She reminds me... of that little blond wisp of a girl with a smile as bright as the sun. She is... a gift to this heart... a tiny piece of yesterday I thought was long forgotten.

Unwrapping this tiny Tuesday... at Chatting at the Sky.

success!

Another successful first-day-of-school send off...
I am so thankful my kids like school. Camden might tell you otherwise... but the thing is, he really enjoys learning, and school is a great place to do just that. I was greeted with smiling faces after their long first day... and a few new supply lists! As the evening wore on we heard stories of the day and tidbits about teachers and friends... and it was as much fun to listen as it was to see the joy in their eyes. This morning they are moving a bit more slowly... but when you stay up a bit later to organize all of your new supplies, that is likely to happen. Laura is hoping that today they will start working with clay in her ceramics class. I hope so, too... because it sounds like fun. But really... I am just hoping... that tonight will be homework-free once again!

a little encouragement

I've been hearing a lot about a great new place...

So what encourages me?
Pure and simple... my faith. Without it, I have nothing... am nothing. It defines me... and my life... and what I teach my children. But while I have always had this faith... this belief in God and Jesus... I have not always lived it. There was a time when I thought days were to busy... my life too full, to possibly fit in time for church. And I didn't realize how much I actually needed a relationship with my Savior.
Until these little eyes showed me the way.

I often think of her small sweet voice sharing her wisdom... Jesus is the Light of the World... and teaching me what it meant.
She encourages me, too. Still.
With her heart... that God has filled with the spirit of giving.
With her hands... that God has guided to create.
With her love... that she can share because He lavishes it so.
It is all I have ever wanted for my children... for them to have a beautiful heart. I just didn't always know that in order to have that, it must be filled with faith. But now... I know.

there's no place like home

I had my own illusions of their homecoming... hearing their voices as they climbed out of the car... and their traipsing of feet as they raced to the door... and into my waiting arms. But I am not that kind of Mama. I am the kind of Mama that is waiting in the driveway as soon as I hear they are getting off the highway... even though it is ten minutes away. I am the kind of Mama that turns her head to look at every passing car as it drives on by... even though I know it is couldn't possibly be them yet. I am the kind of Mama that raced to the car door before it was completely open, so I could embrace those kids that I love so much.

I would have liked to take a photo of Cam tumbling out of the car... but then my arms would have been too full for him. I would've liked to take a picture of Laura's animated face as she told about her adventures over our pizza dinner... but her smile was brighter than a camera would have captured. Thank you, Jo, for reminding me of these things, and for reminding me that being in the moment is better than the photo you could snap.

They are still sleeping...snug in their freshly made beds... and as I wait for their sleepy eyes to appear this morning, I am thankful for...

...this beautiful mess.