In Awe of my children

In the past two weeks I have been in true awe of my children. It is one thing to admire your children and see them enjoy their life successes and expand their talents, and it is something different all together to watch your children and be in awe of who they are as a person and who they are becoming. (And it having nothing to do with my parenting!)

Olivia was the lead in the school 5th grade play "Oklahoma" (of course, it is our centennial year here in the great tornado state). I watched mesmorized by her talent and sheer radiance. She literally "glowed" (for lack of a better word) on stage. I couldn't keep from watching her, and as I thought about it later it had nothing to do with her being my daughter. Just the fact that she was so good. I left amazed. Chloe's final choir concert was this week. The music teacher had asked her to write a song for the school choir and she did in about a day and a half complete with three verses and harmonies. It was called "Believe". I have heard it around the house the past couple of weeks as Chloe practiced on the piano, but it wasn't until the teacher announced the song and that it was written by one of the 7th graders and Chloe walked to the piano, set up her microphone and she proceeded to start playing the song. When the choir sang and harmonized I was once again blown away, to the point that tears came to my eyes. Here was my child writing music for the 7th grade choir and accompanying them and then singing the last verse as a solo and acting as calm as could be during the entire thing. If I could have only seen when I was engaged and dating Gale the amazing children we would have I don't think I would have believed it.

I have watched Elle closely the last two weeks. On our school lunch date we sat alone and talked and laughed for the entire 1/2 hour. Elle has to have one of the happiest souls there is. She is laughing and cracking jokes the entire day. As she starts to grow I can't wait to watch her other talents and abilities develop. I can't imagine our home without Elle, I feel like I am watching a flower as it gets ready to bloom and I have no idea of the great things that will come from her.

And then there was Ava. Last, but definately not the least. I am amazed at Ava everyday. Little could I realize how big a little 4 year old could be. You don't understand that until you meet Ava. She runs our house, is the mother to her 3 older sisters (actually more of a boss) and has no problem telling everyone what she thinks and plans. This girl is going to take the world by storm. I like to be in awe of my children. I see them in a whole new light when I am.

Name Changing

I refuse to give up on my journal. It seems like life gets so busy, and other things begin to take precedence over something I really enjoy doing. So I have recommitted to writing down the great and memorable events of my life.

In the last week everyone wants to change their name. Elle would like to be called Isabelle, Olivia would love to be called Benning (her middle name) and the originator of all this (Ava) would like to be called Sparkly Girl. I can barely connect the right girl with the right name, so I have decided I'm in trouble. Hopefully the season of name changing won't last long. And just in case your wondering what my name change is; Ava decided that I could use her name since she wasn't going to need any longer. So I go by Ava now.

Mothers Day

Instead of writing about Gale's perfectly picked out presents, a wonderful dinner and being treated like a queen all day. (Which is no different than any other day!) I wanted to write down the really important things about Gale. The real reasons that you can't help but love her and most of them need no explanation. Just a prayer of thanks to the good Lord for making her that way.

1. She has blinders on when it comes to the weaknesses of her family (referring to myself and the girls). She doesn't seem them and never comments on them.

2. She sees the best attributes of her family and comments on them often.

3. She really sees us. She is always touching us, loving us, hugging us and making sure we feel we are seen.

4. She listens. (At times for hours as the girls spill their hearts out--and loves it). I think my record is now up to 15 minutes of listening. Even when I'm on a kick and going off about something she listens.

5. She is kind and her heart is kind. No malice in that heart of hers for anyone. (Even if I try to put it there)

6. She doesn't judge. Her mantra really has become "that person is doing the best they can at the moment." She may notice, but she won't judge.

7. She is just good to the soul.

8. She has become more beatiful as the years have passed by. Why? I have often wondered, not just her physical beauty, but the traits that she has developed over the years make her an irresistable woman. (Okay--she is also still hot on the outside)

9. She does everything she can to make her family happy.

10. She is smart and getting smarter everyday. She studies, reads good uplifting books and wants to go back to school for her advanced degree.

11. She has the most phenomenal out of this world goals and she will accomplish them.

12. Not the last, but the most important of them all. She makes me an incredible person when I am around her. I would not be anywhere near the person that I am or accomplished what I have without her.

I think she deserves to be kept around for another year! I love you sweetie and have a gratitude for you that can't be measured.

Chris