Sweaty Saturday

Sam is now on the Track team. What's with all the athletic hobbies? Sweating is something I do my best to avoid. Now I have a daughter who willing seeks activities to bring it on. Why would you run when you can casually stroll the isles at Target? I'm confused.

This is the line up before the mile and a half jog. Can you tell these girls are freezing? Mr. Coach is giving them the run-down. I didn't hear his exact words, but I think he said something like this, "Listen up. I know these outfits are not attractive, but you look waaayyy better than those boys who drive the bobsled. Run your guts out and make sure you smile to look pretty."
This is Sam running around through Lap 3. Each time she passed, I tried to yell something positive, like, "Pretend you're running from your sisters. Run, run, run!"

When I asked her why she runs, she replied, "because I like it." Good enough. Bring on the sweat. Just don't hug me.

First Lady

Kellie became a First Lady today. Edith Wilson, wife to Woodrow Wilson. She has spent weeks preparing a report and speech. Today was performance time. She sparkled. I lose sleep worrying about this girl of mine, when it comes to school. Learning, memorizing and retaining are all big hills to climb for her. She perseveres. She works hard. I work hard. We seem to climb those hills together. Today she made all the work worth it. Edith would be proud.

Snowflakes

Snow. In. Texas. It sounds like a double negative. Who knew that we would move to an extremely southern city in the country, and wind up feeling like we still lived in it's center.
The snow arrived during my ranting and raving to get homework finished. All school work was abandoned.

No matter where you live or how often you see it fall, snowflakes just feel magical. Even after everyone has showered and dressed in pajamas. They ran down the street with arms extended and faces held into the sky. Yup. Definitely magical.
This is the best of both worlds. We enjoy the snow, but don't have to shovel it! And within the week, we'll be wearing short sleeves. Too good not to brag about.

Pin While You Watch

Here's a project for you to accomplish while you watch the Olympics. I used the tutorial found here, I just changed it up a bit.

This will keep your hands busy while you watch a certain speed skater in a tight outfit whose name resembles Oh-No. Just sayin'.

A Day Of Reverence

Are you familiar with this scripture found in 3 John 1:4? " I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." Well, guess what? Truth was dropped off at my house today and I let my children eat it:

This is a day of deep reverence for the joy that can be found in a cookie. After eating 20 Thin Mints, truth can be found in there as well. I thought about making everyone bow before the boxes, but decided against it. We offered a prayer of thanksgiving instead. Calories and fat grams are a mighty thing to be grateful for. The more you eat, the wiser you become. I'm serious. It's an old Chinese proverb. So is this one--Happiness is always covered in chocolate.

Violin Lessons

I sat through violin lessons last night. As each girl played, I tried to gather a tally in my head for how many lessons I have sat through. I couldn't wrap my head around an exact number, I just know that I have been listening to little girls play the violin for more than 6 years.

I started to wonder last night, what exactly I've learned through all these lessons. What, if anything, has this violin trek taught me? So far, this is what I've got:

• I have now worked with 3 girls to master Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. I have listened to it for so long, I somehow think I deserve a medal. A twinkling star medal.
• I pay money, good money, to wage battle with certain children to practice. When you take a step back and look at it, I'm giving someone else a tuition check so that I can go home and listen to moaning, wailing and a serious amount of gnashing teeth. Makes total sense.
• In 20 years, aren't my girls going to turn to their own children and say, "I wish I would have practiced more."? Isn't that what we all do? My mom told me that I would be sad when I grew up that I didn't practice the piano more. And you know what? She was right. So, if that's true, aren't my kids going to grow up and say the same thing? Why do I torture myself and everyone around us with daily practice? Maybe because I simply want the satisfaction in 20 years of saying, "I told you so."
• Every now and then, there is a glimmer of a moment, that one of my girls will play and I am mesmerized. In that moment, the strings will ring magic. Those little bits of time seem to erase all the other unwanted whining and fighting.
  

Last night I realized that my girls always sound better when the teacher plays right along with them. When they can't seem to catch the right rhythm or play the notes correctly, the teacher picks up his violin to guide them as he plays. Their music sounds sweeter when combined with his.

Life just may be one big violin lesson. We complain, we argue and we practice. Over and over and over again. But when we can't seem to find our rhythm or we stumble and lose our way, our Teacher joins our side. And when we listen to Him, and heed His words, our music will bring life to our soul.

Lesson learned.

XOXO

Happy Heart Day.
From my funny valentines to yours.