I like her growing up!

I often use hashtags like #yearsflyingby #growinguptoofast #timepleaseslowdown #nopausebutton -- I feel this. Every day. I love being a momma. I love these years. I don't want them to end.

And yet I do. Because I like watching my girls grow up. I like seeing them discover this world, to enjoy relationships, and be all who God created them to be.  If they never grew up, I wouldn't get the joy of experiencing all these bittersweet moments of motherhood. 

I just had to pause on this cloudy Saturday morning, while Mike and our girls are watching yet another episode of Star Trek Next Generation, and record one such incident.

Last year, and at the beginning of this year, Morgan use to dread, I mean absolutely dread, going to school on pep assembly days.  She had this paralyzing fear that she would be called to the front of the school and have to participate in the assembly in front of everyone.  (All of us true introverts just said amen!) But for her, it was intense. She would actually beg me to let her stay home from school on pep assembly days.  And I had to remind her how she had begged me in kindergarten to stay home from school on field day because of these same fears, and yet she came home saying it was her best day ever.  Then  I'd send her off with a prayer whispered upward.

Well yesterday, she performed with her color guard team at the pep assembly!! Yes.She.Did. And then, after school she tried out for the high school color guard team which means she will be performing in front of large audiences this coming year if she makes the team!

This 'growing up' of hers makes my heart sing and dance in a hundred shades of happiness. 

I will also add, that a couple of weeks ago the youth had a march madness night - and even on the way to church she was like "I am NOT going to be on a team for games" -- and after she got home... "Guess what mom, our team WON and I actually participated in a relay in front of everyone - it was awesome!!" Growth. It's a beautiful thing.

Spring is here. She is blossoming. Life is beautiful. I love this season we are in.

And if I couldn't be proud enough already...

Sisterly Love?! NOT!!

Oh what has happened to my sweet children?! THESE ONES...

Summer 2010

They have apparently been kidnapped and replaced with duplicate children I do not know. Seriously, things have become quite ugly around here. I can hardly stand how they are treating each other these days. They are terrible to each other. Horrible! And honestly, while Spring Break begins today and I'm looking forward to my parents arrival and the time my girls will get to spend with them - I am not really looking forward to having the next 9 days with my children.  Which if you know me, is not normal! Even Darian commented (from her weekend spent with them last month) how mean they have become to each other. I'm telling you, it's bad!

So while I try to remind myself that THIS is NORMAL. They are NORMAL. Siblings fight and argue and say mean things. It's part of childhood. I still DON'T have to like it. And while I can know this normal, I still feel like I have a responsibility as a parent to guide them, remind them, that they have the power within themselves to treat each other differently. I can't make them be kind - but I can encourage it. My personal challenge is to parent through this calmly. (I know, wish me luck!) 

So, I woke up at 5am this morning and my brain has just been spinning, but now, I've come up with a plan! And while it may or may not work - at least it's a plan! :) I'd rather be making some effort, rather than no effort, to encourage this sisterly love to return!

Here's the plan for spring break... It's a jar that I will label, "The Gift of Sisters".  The jar has about 30 slips of activities (note: I do realize that this may not be enough slips to last even the first day, but I'll put them back in and they can do them again and again!). Every time Mike or I hear the girls being mean to each other they will have to choose one of these activities for their consequence. Here are just 10 of the activities I came up with for consequences -

• THANK YOU SIS!: Think of two specific  things nice your sister has done for you. Write her a letter telling her thank you.
• CARD MAKING: Using my scrapbook stuff and/or cricut machine, go make your sister a special card.
• A LITTLE WALK: Look up this verse: Ephesians 4:32 and write it on an index card. Walk around the outside of the house 3 times, reading the words on the card the whole time.
• THANKFUL HEART: Go find your thankful journal and write down 10 specific things you are thankful for about your sister.
• MAKE THE BED: Go and make your sister’s bed really nice for her. NOW, Sit on her bed and say a prayer of thanks to God for giving you a sister.
• I’M NOT JOKING AROUND: Find 3 jokes and then tell them to your sister.
• COMPUTER BIBLE: Go to www.youversion.com and look up this bible verse: Proverbs 12:18. Type it in a word document in the NIV version, the NIrV version, the MSG version and the ASV version. Ask mom to help. Print it up. Highlight your favorite one.
• I HEART YOU: Make 10 hearts out of paper. On each heart write something you love about your sister. Start with “I love you because…”Hide the hearts around her room for her to find. 
• DICTIONARY: Find the definition for KINDNESS on the dictionary on my phone. Write down the definition of kindness. Below that write down 3 ways you can be kind to your sister today.
• 10 WAYS: Write down the top 10 ways you can make sure your sister does NOT like you today. (or, 10 things you can do to make sure she goes to bed mad at you tonight.) - trying reverse psychology with this one! ;)

Oh and when I told Mike this morning that I was working on a plan - he let out this half-sigh, 'wooo' kinda noise and informed me that I might be attempting the impossible with this one! So here's to attempting the impossible! :) I'll let you know how it goes.