Now We Are Nine

I clicked on my 'Kate' category early this morning and have found myself unable to stop reading. Today she turns nine. Right about now, in fact, 9:23 a.m. What a moment it was, her birth. We had no idea who/what was coming. ;)

I wrote in my gratitude journal: She completes us. Challenges us. Energizes us. Loves us. Tests us. And teaches us. I love that baby girl with all my heart. I pray again for guidance in teaching her. For calm. For wisdom. For patience and mercy. To pour out God's love on her, for her. To understand her better. To encourage her. To lift her up. 

I've been s l o w l y learning it all these nine years that it's me, not her. If *I* can control my reactions to her wild and creative and not-like-mine personality, if I can go slowly, then she'll probably follow suit. If I can't, if I let my expectations get in the way, or let my feelings get hurt, nothing works. Mothers and daughters. I never, never guessed it would be this hard. But I also never guessed a person could fill me so much, with her sparkle, her spunk, her silliness, her talent, her joy, and the weight of her sadness, when she feels it. My goodness, daughter. You're a gift and a blessing and part of God's mystery! No doubt about that.

Anyway, she opened her gifts this morning before getting dressed - her request - and seemed to love them all. A teal water bottle with a soft spout. The Little House on the Prairie box set (my heart!!). Some new clothes. A DVD ("Trolls"). New teal headphones. This weekend, we're having a big shopping day with her friend Ady Grace. Lunch at the Food Court, maybe pedicures, maybe a movie.

Today after school she'll go to choir practice, but then we'll feast on fettucine alfredo, and probably shrimp. Favorites for my favorite girl.

She's an artist.

She's a singer.

She's a good friend.

She's a character, a big personality.

She's persistent.

She's courageous.

She's smart.

She's fun to be around.

She's going to go far.

Highs and Lows

Oh, friends. Highs and lows this weekend, highs and lows. Our Nanny, Shawn's grandmother, passed away this morning after a few days' stay in the hospital. We're told she went in for stomach trouble and was dehydrated. Tests revealed both a hernia in her stomach (she would not let them operate) and kidneys that were beginning to fail. She was 90 years old and the dearest lady. I'm going to miss her, and I know that Shawn is grieving deeply, as they were very close, from the time he was a little boy. I'm so glad we were able to spend so many Memorial Day weekends with her over the years. Alex and Kate have known she was ill, and that this was likely. We'll talk with them tonight and determine our travel plans. It won't be an easy week. I prayed that Susan would make the long drive in time to see her on Saturday, and she did, praise God. She was able to be with her. I've been rolling the phrases "home-going" and "may the angels greet her" and "our sister in Christ" around in my head, knowing she's at rest and believing desperately in the heaven where we become our most perfect selves again, reunited with those who left ahead of us. I love to think of 19-year-old Bernice and Mack together again, with all their families and friends. Sometimes I think it's a strange thing to believe, don't you? I really do. How in the world (or, not in the world actually) could it be true? How does it work? But believe we do, and believe we must, and hope. I pray I'll be a useful granddaughter-in-law while we're there for the funeral, and that I will know how to best help and comfort, and hold it together myself. 

---

Friday night, Alex performed in another piano solo festival, judged by the National Federation of Music Clubs' local chapters, and earned himself a 2nd Superior+ rating. He's been with this new piano teacher only 6 months and she's already done more for him than his previous 2 teachers combined. Of course, he immediately felt he didn't deserve it because he didn't play the songs perfectly. But over the weekend, I think he came to accept that the goal isn't perfection, and that his musicianship is what got him the gold star, not the individual notes. It made me wonder how I could possibly be part of the local Music Club. Is it only for music teachers? Or could a lowly church musician join/volunteer? That might be fun. Maybe I'll be brave and ask Alex's teacher. (I sure DO need one other thing in my schedule, haha.) At any rate, it was worth the drive across town on a Friday night in rush hour, to get him that win. 

Thaila's dying to get Kate, too, into piano lessons. For some reason, Kate is acting like she's unsure. I'll have to work on her. ;)

---

Saturday we also did something fun. We met some of Kate's basketball teammates for lunch, and then attended a Kennesaw State Univ. women's basketball game. Really enjoyable time. The girls' season is over now (hooray! We have Saturday mornings back!), but this was a great way to cap it off. The KSU team gave autographs afterwards, and Kate immediately framed hers (a photo of the team) and has it on her dresser.

---

And then, the Super Bowl. Gosh dangit. Atlanta sports, man. Always SO CLOSE.