As he sees it…

Jack’s point of view…

Proud isn’t a strong enough word…

The same little girl, who at her first birthday, would only look at the ground, because the crowd made her uncomfortable…

The same little girl, who wouldn’t open her presents at her 2nd birthday, while the guests were watching... 

The same little girl, who, for every soccer picture I have of her between the ages of 3-5, her hands are covering her eyes, and she’s almost in tears... 

The same little girl, who wouldn’t speak to her father when he came home at the end of the day, because he’d been gone all day, at work, and she hadn’t warmed back up to him, yet (Jake used to joke, that it was like 50 First Dates, with Lily)... 

Yesterday, I watched that same little girl, sing and dance in front of her entire school.  A crowd of about 400 peers, and their teachers. 

And, last night, at a repeat performance, I watched that same little girl, get up on a stage, and sing and dance for a crowd of about 100, parents and a handful of peers. 

 

And she was amazing!!!

I don’t know what’s wrong with the color…but, here’s the proof:

Proud doesn’t even ALMOST describe what I’m feeling!

Post it Note Tuesday…

   

One of those moments…

I love my kids. 

I do. 

I think they’re great, and smart…funny, and witty.  I love that they’re carefree.  I love their confidence, and their passion.  I think they’re amazing little specimens, of badass people, in the making! 

Another reason I love my kids…

On Saturday, we were on a bit of a drive, waxing nostalgic, in Graham, Texas, the setting of some of Jake’s fondest childhood memories.  I loved reliving my husband’s childhood with him.  It was especially warm to look at my kids, see their father in them, and imagine him at their ages. 

This is the kids “swimming” in the place where the swimming pool used to be, on the piece of land, where his childhood home used to be…

 

Alas, the kids, were a tad too young to completely appreciate it, and as we drove around Jake’s old hometown, their minds were waxing Survivor, . 

Not, “the tribe has spoken,” Survivor. 

No. 

Rocky theme song, Survivor.   

Avery started it, with the trademark, “Bum……bum-bum-bum………bum-bum-bum……bum-bum-buuuuuuuuuum….”

He kept that up, and out of my periphery, I could see that Jake’s head began to bob.  As did mine.

With impeccable timing, Jack chimed in, “Risin’ up…back on the street…Did my time, took my chances.  Went the distance, now I’m back on my feet…just a man and his will to surviiiiiive.”

There was a brief pause, where the rhythm completely took hold of all of us, and in perfect unison, we all sang, “It’s the…eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight.  Rising up to the challenge of our rivals…and the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night…and he’s watchin’ us all with the eeeeeeeeeye of the tiger. “

It was an unpracticed, unplanned, yet, perfectly executed, sing-a-long, to a rad song! 

No doubt, Jake and I have belted out that tune, hundreds of times throughout our lives.  Singing along on the radio, when the song was popular, or just singing along with our friends, in our own impromptu sing-a-longs. 

But, it was just one of those moments, when it warmly washed over me, in an instant…

Damn, I love my kids!

Possum Kingdom...

It's where I'm off to. Camping for Mother's Day!!

To your mothers...

To you, if you are one!

Fun was had by all…

We totally found a new way to get rid of a bit of frustration with the kids, and they think it’s fun!

Funny…in the bottom picture, Jack is sneaking a slap at Jake’s hands, since they played with their eyes closed, relieving a bit of his own frustrations, as well!

Did you see that the TV is on in the background, and it says, “no signal.”  Yeah…we still have the habit of turning the damn thing on, but, we just have no programming!  That, or, the kids turn it on every day, in hopes that it’s all been a bad dream, and their beloved Nickelodeon is back!! 

Super Star…

The One Who Doesn’t Say Much…blew me away, today. 

This time last year, Lily watched the school’s Talent Show.  She watched the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders, show off their stuff, for the whole school.  She came home from school that day, about a year ago, telling me that she was going to try out for the Talent sShow, the very next year. 

I encouraged my baby girl, but, didn’t think too much of it.  After all, I don’t call her The One Who Doesn’t Say Much, for nothing.

Periodically, over the past twelve months, she would announce that the song that was playing on the radio, would be the one she would perform for the Talent Show.  I always shared her excitement, but, I have to admit, I didn’t believe that she would have it in her.     

A few days ago, Lily had me sign the permission slip, for her to stay after school, and try out for the big show.  I signed, and made her a CD, of the song, that she wanted to sing…SOLO, I might add!  I asked her if she wanted to recruit some of her friends to take the stage with her, to take some of the pressure off…she said, “Nah, Mom…if someone is up there with me…they’ll just mess it up!  I wanna do it by myself.” 

And do it by herself…she did!!! 

My little girl, who still looks like this, in my mind’s eye…

sang a Miley Cyrus song today, for a panel of judges.  And if it has been relayed to me correctly…she will be singing, while her best friend dances (since both of their acts were to Miley songs, they combined them, so they could both participate, since only a handful receive the privilege), to a Miley Cyrus’, “Party in the USA,” at next week’s Talent Show!!

She’s a super star, in my eyes…and I may just have to change her nickname on my sidebar, to, “The One Who Does the Shit She Says She’s Gonna Do!”  Or, “The One With Chick-balls!”