11 years old, part A

Dear Annie

When I sit down every year to write your birthday letter I always struggle to find the words to tell you how great I think you are. This year isn’t much different. But if I had to pick a word for you, I’d pick joy. You’re just a joy to have, a joy to parent, and a joy to be friends with.

This year our relationship has started the gentle shift towards independence. We are starting to give you more freedom and respecting your decisions. Because my darling, you make good choices. And they are worthy of our respect.

You’re a complete workhorse when it comes to your school. You consistently go above and beyond what is asked of you, completing extra work just for the fun of it. You are starting to like Math more these days, but almost always have a book (or three) in your hand. Just in case.

You received a sewing machine this year and took to it right away. You love figuring out how to engineer the design you have in your head. Like your mother, you have no real use for patterns, or trying to make something specific according to someone else’s direction. And I love that. Learn how to make things up as you go. Adapt. Enjoy the process. Don’t worry about having the perfect finished product. These skills will serve you well in life.

Love you,

Mom

10 years in part A

Dear Annnie,

I have a confession to make to you on your 10^th birthday. When I was pregnant with you and your sister, I wasn’t that excited about the idea of giving birth to twins. God brought you both to our family when your brother was still very much a baby; and having three children under 2 years old just didn’t sound that fun to me.

But really, God knew what He was doing when he planned for you and your sister to join us on the same day. You have been a joy since the beginning. A fun loving, hard working, sweetie of a girl. And I get a little jealous when it comes time for me to share you with friends and family. I don’t know what I’ll do if you ever decide to switch over to the public school. I’m pretty sure I might have to climb in your backpack and stalk you all day.

This has been the year of the horses for both of you girls. You’ve taken to bringing us a report on the neighbor’s horses when you go out to get the mail each afternoon. I think you volunteer for the task just so you can take a moment at the fence and spy on them. It brought so much joy to my heart to watch you interacting with the horses when we took our trip out west before Christmas.

So ten is sort of a big birthday, a gateway if you will. I definitely see the teen years coming in you. The way you roll your eyes and groan at me. It’s amusing now, though I don’t imagine it will always be so.  But I also love what I think I see you becoming.

I can only hope that you’ll always be the girl who loves having dates with your parents, and grandparents. The girl with inseparable best friends from dance class. The girl who can jump in and make dinner when I’m out and about and everyone else is hungry.  And the girl who seeks fashion advice from her (rather unfashionable) mother. Please don’t ever figure out that I’m clueless when it comes to clothing.

I love you more today than I did yesterday.

Mom

So much more real.

Warning. I just took a trip. Now you as my loyal subjects must read about it, and look at the cute pictures of my adorable children frolicking around Chicago

(which includes the pictures of my daughter’s bestie, Livie, who legally is not my child, but I’m claiming her anyway. Cause that’s just how I roll.)

First of all, my thank yous:

To the hotel cleaning lady who didn’t speak English. Thank you for muttering your comments about my messy children and traveling companions in your native language, far away from our listening ears. We totally deserved them. We know. You rock.

To the homeless bums who targeted us on the streets with endless requests for handouts. Thank you for thinking I’m a compassionate mark because I’m traveling with kids and carrying bags from the expensive stores I just spent too much money in. We appreciate the life lessons you provided for our children. Kids, this is what happens if you don’t study for your spelling tests. Don’t be homeless.

To all the yummy restaurants we ate at. Thank you for being so far away from our hotel and forcing us to take those excruciatingly long walks back before we collapsed into our food comas. Therefore erasing all the calories we just ate. Everyone knows vacation calories don’t count.

Just for the record, receipts don’t count either. What happens on vacation stays on vacation. Just sayin.

 

Most of all, to all the weirdos who roam the public streets, to all the icky pigeons and sea gulls (who are clearly rats with wings), and to all the people, sights, and smells that are just plain different than my daughters are used to, thank you for opening my daughters to the reality that this world really is much bigger than they think it is, and for pushing them a bit out of their comfort zone. Thank you for making our vacation so much more real.

Look who I found...

So I mentioned a few weeks ago that the girls are spending their summer with Grandma Peterson this year. It was hard for me to send them away for eight weeks, but every time I hear from them they are having the time of their lives and I'm so thrilled that they had the opportunity to have such an adventure.

The other day I shared a bit about the passing of Jory's grandfather. Because of his passing we ended up taking an unexpected trip out to the ranch for the funeral. As much as I wanted to go be supportive for those who were grieving, I really really just wanted to hold my babies.

Aren't they cute?

Trust me when I say I sucked up every last second with those two little cuddle bugs. They were so full of sunshine and sugar. They had 4 weeks of hugs saved  up for me and I savored every last one of them.

Love those girlies. So glad Grandma gets to enjoy them for a bit longer.

Be someone else's sunshine.

My dear sweet daughters,
Today I am sending you off to the great wide world. It feels a little like I'm sending you off to college. But you're 8. It's too early for that. You, my darlings are headed out to New Mexico to love on Grandma Peterson for an entire summer. She is a little lonely after Papa passed away, and you are getting picked on by a brother who doesn't really understand how to form positive relationships with females. So it's a win - win situation for everyone.

Everyone but me. You two are my little lights and you make my world so much brighter. You have no idea how much I like having you here with me all the time. I rather enjoy not having to sharing you with the rest of the world. But I also know that keeping you here when you're needed elsewhere is selfish. The rest of the world needs to see your little light too.

And so I send you, with extra batteries, to be a flashlight. To light up someone else's world. Not forever, but for now. 

Go and spread your love and sunshine, your giggles and hugs, and the goofy songs that you make up to make people laugh. Go be your incredible little selves, but remember who you belong to.
You are mine, and I'm not sharing you forever.
Not yet at least.
Love and hugs,
Mom

Tiny Dancers...

Their shoes might be little, but their faith is not.
They love to dance, and they love Jesus.
Dancing for Jesus? That's a no brainer.

Love my tiny dancers.

Worship dance team, Palm Sunday 2012

Celebrating both of you

So my daughters are twins, which means that there is 1 birthday for 2 girls.  Obviously.
Normally it's not that big of a deal, but around their birthday I sort of put up a stink. For one week out of the year they are two people. Annie and Louisa. Not "Annieweeza #1" and "Annieweeza #2".  And during birthday week I bend over backwards to make sure they know - that I know - that they are 2 separate individuals. Celebrating their individuality sounds all fantastic and noble until you realize they're essentially the same person in two bodies. They look alike, like all the same foods, have the same best friends, do the same extra curricular activities, gravitate towards the same toys, and read the same books. Not to mention that they've been sharing a twin bed for nearly 5 years now, simply because they want to.
So yeah, celebrating their individuality isn't the easiest thing on the planet. But we make do by letting the girls both plan their own day of fun. As Annie adequately put it last year, she has her birthday and her other birthday. Nice.
So this year, for Annie's birthday she decided to have her (and Louisa's) good friend Livie come over to play, make brownies and have dinner. Louisa decided that we should all have a trip to the pool and dinner with Grandma to celebrate her special day.

In the beginning, I wasn't so psyched about this twin thing. But it's working out pretty well I'd say.

Letter to Annie

My sweet Annabel,
Tomorrow you turn 8. How can that be? You are such a delightful kid, and are truly a joy to have around. I know you don't think so, but you and your sister are so very similar that it's difficult to define your personality in a way so that it doesn't just mimic your sisters. You and your sister continue to have such a uniquely intertwined relationship, it's almost as if you are two halves of a whole.  I'll bet you're the only set of 8 year olds I know that share a twin bed, because you want to.
And I love that about you two.
As for you my dear, you've become quite the domestic diva this year. You cook, you clean, and when our little friend Elizabeth comes over, you are quick to take responsibility for her. Not only are you sweet and gentle with her, but when the time comes for authority, you stand your ground and don't give in. No matter what. I love that. It takes guts to stand up to a whiney toddler (or an obnoxious little brother), and I know a roomful of adults who aren't nearly as good at it as you are. You're a tough one with a heart of gold.
This year as we welcomed your new brother into the family I was concerned about how you would adjust. I was warned about how you might act out or regress. I haven't seen either from you. If anything you've stepped up to the plate to be extra helpful and sweet. I love that you're constantly offering to help with the chores, and don't give me grief when I ask for help.
You my dear make my crazy life possible. I think I would have jumped ship long ago if you weren't so reliable.
So happy birthday my little smunch-kin.
I love you,
Mommy

Because

Because it's Thursday
Because they're totally into having their hair braided.
Because sometimes they need to feel like they're the center of my universe...

Because I love the way they make each other laugh
Because of those teeth.
But mostly just because it they're all mine...

Happy Thursday from Princess Twinkle Toes #1 and #2

Forgotten Favorites

Every now and then I go through the multitudes of photos I've taken of my family to decide which ones are going to end up in scrapbooks, and which ones will never see the light of day (yes, I have those too). Usually as I do I come across a few hidden gems that I've forgotten about. Here are some gems that I've recently rediscovered...

What can I say, I've had a thing for tall grass this summer. And sunkissed little girls. (Yes, I checked them for ticks when we were done)

And just in case you thought all I do is sit in tall grass watch the local wildlife here are some of my little Max...

Guest blogger - Annie

(Annie's self portrait)

Alex had so much fun being in the spotlight yesterday that it was only fair to let the other kids have a turn. so today it's Annie's turn. Louisa was too busy playing Uno with Alex. So here's Annie's interview!

Hi Annie! hi

How are you today: fine What is your favorite thing to play: making tents with Max

What is your best joke: knock knock, who's there, ah! they're home! (do you get it? it's a robber)

What do you do to make your family laugh: make funny faces (like this one! oh wait you can't see it)

What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy: sew

Daddy: make waffles

What's something you like to do when you are feeling sneaky that you don't want Daddy to know about? steal candy

If you had a million dollars what would you do with it: help Russian orphans

What is your favorite food: Pizza!

How are you different than your sister: I wear pink clothes and Louisa wears purple, and I lost more teeth than she did.

Letter to Annie

Dear Annie,

This week you will turn 7 and I thought you deserved to have a blog post all to yourself. You and your twin sister are so similar that it's hard for me to describe your differences to our friends. Aside from being so identical that you have freckles in the same location, your personalities are completely intertwined. You are both sweet and loving, creative and friendly. You both love the same toys, and play super well together. I am so thrilled that you and your sister are so close. And frankly I'm a little jealous of the friendship you have, knowing that you'll always be each others best friend.

But aside from all that my dear, you are growing up quickly. This year you decided you were done with the princess-y dress up games that you loved in the past. Not that I mind. Not being such a girlie girl myself, I was a little at a loss as to what to do with all that glittler and sparkle. These days you would rather play Legos or pretend play with the others. You like to pretend you're on a desert island like the family in Swiss Family Robinson, and you've been known to pretend to be Queen Susan the Gentle from The Chronicals of Narnia (ok, so maybe the princess thing hasn't totally disappeared...)

I am also pleased to watch your faith develop. You are becoming a prayer warrior, much like your Mama. This week you came to me, very much concerned for the people of Haiti, and you shared with me how you felt led to pray for them. Not that I'm really that surprised, you have always had a heart for caring for others. I am looking forward to helping you develop compassion for the needy in our community, as well as God's children around the world.

Repurposed kids clothes - day 2

If you thought the last repurposing project was easy, you're going to laugh when you see the one I have for today. This little bag was made from a t-shirt Miss Annabel had pulled out for the give away pile. Even though it was a little too small, I wasn't quite ready to get rid of it yet. So what's a girl to do? I danced off to my sewing machine, stitched the shirt closed at the bottom, squared off the corners and put it to good use. Not more than 10 minutes total. A sweet little bag for a sweet little girl.

a case of the sillies

After I was up all night with a sick Louisa I could use a little chuckle. I thought you could to. These are from a few days ago.

I don't know what it is about this one of Alex, to me it just shouts CREEPY OLD MAN!

Again with the creepy shots of my children. I know. But this one of Louisa made us all laugh.

And finally Annie, my most photogenic kid - um. No comment.

blessed

This past week has seen its shares of ups and downs. The saga of life without reliable technology continues, but it’s nothing we haven’t learned to live with. In the midst of our technological issues, we have seen a ray of hope and blessing. That blessing comes in the form of friendship. We know that one of the many ways God chooses to bless us is through our friendships, and we’ve gotten a healthy dose this week. This week has seen several get-togethers and play dates, all of which have been a joy. Without them realizing it, our friends have stepped up in a big way. And we are so grateful.
Recently our friend Phill and his daughter Mary traveled to Russia on a mission trip. While they were there, they were able to visit with Max and a few of the other children we met last summer. They brought back pictures and stories from their visit, which they shared with us at a gathering for adopting families. We haven’t had much contact with Max or anyone from the orphanage this fall, so it was really nice to see all of him and his little friends again. It’s nice to know that Max isn’t a figment of my imagination. He really does exist. At the gathering, we were also able to spend some time with a few of the other families who are also adopting. Most of the families live here in town, so we see them pretty regularly, but we were thrilled to reconnect with a family that lives about an hour away who is adopting Igor, Max’s best friend.