To My Daughter on Her Graduation

Alexzandria Kate Edwards ... Summa Cum Laude

And with that, you did it. You graduated.

I keep saying how proud I am of you. But that word does not describe how I feel. From the moment you were born, you were my baby and I knew you would exceed in everything you did.

You are creative and artistic. Your drawings and paintings decorate the house. Your pottery is everywhere. We've framed your photographs. You can play the piano and taught yourself ukulele. You sing when you think no one is listening. Your creative writing is better than Dad's, and he's published two books.

You are smart. We sent you to boarding school because it challenged you. It meant we didn't see you often. We didn't get to hear daily stories of school or weekend fun. We couldn't see how you dressed (ok, it was a uniform) and how you did your hair. We couldn't help you when you were sick or celebrate when you had a great day. We gave up seeing you so you could fly. And you did.

Your teachers ask you to help teach, because the students understand things better when you explain them. Your English teacher is saving an essay to use for class next year. Math and Science might not come easy, but you persevere, and you won the senior class book award for AP Calculus and Environmental Science. You've had three years of Latin and had the top score in your Harry Potter Magic & Morality class. Your GPA is higher than a 4.0 and your standardized test scores are off the chart. But I know you had a good time through it all. There were late nights and early mornings. Trips for midnight snacks and sleeping on the floor. I hope you have fantastic memories of school and fun times with friends.

You chose carefully where you applied to college and made a tough decision. You'll be one credit shy of a sophomore thanks to AP credits, which means you'll probably double major. I know you'll have a fantastic time. You already know how to deal with a dorm full of girls and getting to class on time. You are a whiz at cards and board games. And now you can wear hoodies and gym shorts! You can schedule classes for late morning and sleep in! I'm so excited for your college career to start, but I also want this summer to last. We'll be spending a week in Italy to celebrate, and I know you'll want to photograph and sketch and learn all you can while we are there.

You love unconditionally. Dogs are your best friends. You miss your pets when you aren't home. Even your Senior Survival Trip on the Appalachian Trail included you petting a fluffy dog you met along the way. You love the mountains and the beach. You were excited to turn 15 so you could sit in the exit row of a plane. You want to go to San Diego just so you can eat tacos at the tiny taco stand we've visited twice. You sleep in the car on every road trip, including our two week trip down the west coast.

You are loyal to friends and buy McDonald's for whomever forgot their cash. You buy thoughtful birthday and Christmas presents that people cherish. You still let me call you Booger and walk arm in arm with me at the mall. You're witty and punny and make jokes when we're together. People love you and love to just be around you.

Congratulations, Alexzandria. I know you're holding off on official adulthood until your 18th birthday in a couple of months, but, don't you see, you're already there, and you're doing a job that makes us all proud.

We love you!

  

Ten Things Your Mom Never Told You

This meme(?) made its way around Facebook this week and I couldn't help but want to slightly change the wording here. 

My kids are 21 and 16, so I feel like I've got some great in(hind)sight to give you. 

Ten Things Your Mom Was Really Thinking 

(with apologies to HuffPost) 

(and my kids) 

1. You made her cry ... a lot. But mostly you gave her great fodder for Facebook. And blogs. And tweets.

2. She wanted that last piece of pie. So she waited for you to go to bed, then she ate it. There was ice cream too. 

3. It hurt. Especially without an epidural.  She never forgot that. 

4. She was always afraid. Of you entering a room without knocking. And that you'd find the ice cream. 

5. She knows she's not perfect. But she'll never stop correcting your grammar. 

6. She watched you as you slept. And she could tell when you were hiding your phone and faking it. 

7. She carried you a lot longer than nine months. Until she forced you to go to college and get your own damn place. 

8. It broke her heart every time you cried. Except that time you broke the living room ottoman with a body slam. You deserved those bruises. 

9. She put you first. On the list of why she drinks. 

10. She would do it all again. As long as there's ice cream. 

First Quarter - Success!

I knew in my heart Aly was in the right place the day I dropped her off at Webb.

Then she came home for a weekend, singing and chatting, and looked me in the eye and said "Webb is where I'm supposed to be."

Then we got her first quarter grades. In addition to joining the GreenFeet (recycling club) and afterschool Art program, my girl got straight A's. Actually, two of them are A-pluses. And not in easy classes either.

 

She was afraid she'd hate Geometry, but it has become one of her highest grades. I knew she'd love the logical thinking. The school put her in the Honors course based on her test scores. Looks like she's in the right place.

Seminar was the speech she had to memorize and say in front of the whole school. She did something from Mother Theresa.  I'm not sure I even just spelled Mother Theresa correctly.



They are reading lots of books in English. She likes to read. No problem.
She loves Mr. L. R. Smith's History class. She's going to get her grade up to a 95 before the end of the year so she can take Honors History next year. She must get that from her father.
No surprises that her highest grade is in Latin. It is in her Phillips blood. Her Latin name is Livia. She chose Livius until the teacher told her that was a male name. Ok, maybe she didn't auto-inherit everything.
Physics is her favorite class, last time I asked, because "it really challenges me, Mom."
And she's done three speeches so far (in addition to Seminar). She really likes her teacher there too.

So in addition to moving 3.5 hours away, getting a roommate, sharing a bathroom, wearing uniforms, and making numerous friends, my girl got straight A's. I can't begin to explain how proud we are, and how blessed we feel, at being able to make this happen for her.

The Girl is Alright.

It has been two weeks since we left Aly at boarding school, and I couldn't ask for things to have gone any better for her. Mike was going to visit her this week and then had the sudden thought that he should just bring her home for the long weekend. I'm so happy to see her and she is so happy to see her doggies. :)

Even though she talked her daddy's ear off all the way home, she spent two hours telling me all about the dorm, her friends, activities and the like last night.  And that was without talking through the classes. It so reminds me of my first year at Western, coming home nearly every weekend and sitting in the middle of the living room floor Friday nights, telling Mom and Dad about my week.

We are so blessed to have found the right place for her. She's happy (and doing well in school too), and that is all we can ask for. Praise God for His hand in our lives.

Only two weeks left

Two years ago, I started a blog post titled "The Week that Doesn't Exist." It is actually a blog post that doesn't exist, because I couldn't force myself to finish it. It was too emotional for me. You see, Aly was going to a boarding school in St. Louis for the 8th grade and I had a horrible feeling about it. Chalking it up to mommy nerves, or empty nest syndrome, or whatever you want to call it, I went through with it. I drove my child three hours away and moved her into a dorm on a tiny campus and trusted her teachers and advisor to care for her. After a horrific six weeks of homesickness, roommate issues, bullying, theft, and inaction* on the part of the school, we made the trip to bring Aly home. *Yeah, I didn't post that blog entry either. She was a victim of bullying for weeks and afraid to tell us, because she told her advisor and nothing stopped. She was blackballed by her roommates, stolen from, accused of racism.... horrible things. And when I finally called the Head of School, he called me back two days later, sorry for the delay but the accreditation folks had been on site. Yeah, that bad. Aly then attended the local Middle School for a few weeks, but that was working either (since she was at least two years ahead academically). So, since then, we've homeschooled her. This year, her freshman year, we used an online curriculum that was less than stellar. All in all, my bright, funny, uber-intelligent little girl nearly wasted two years of her (learning) life because I didn't listen to my gut. I can say in the last two years, Aly has grown tremendously, into a beautiful, hilarious young lady. And we're giving it another try. The Webb School in Bell Buckle, TN (home of the RC Cola & Moon Pie Festival) has a completely different feel, communicative staff, and an oustanding reputation. Aly said for the first time in her life, she wishes there wasn't a summer, so she could start school. I feel the same way. Webb will be so good for her, socially and intellectually. Our family is making great sacrifices to get her there (even a 50% scholarship leaves a HUGE balance, plus books, uniforms, new sheets :) ) but it is all worth it. This time I feel like it is right. It is the right place for her to be. And, so, while I'll miss her (and will likely cry at the drop of a hat over the next two weeks), I'm so proud of her and can't wait to see what fabulous things she will do over the next four years. Oh, and their mascot is ... and I am NOT making this up ... The Feet. So, GO WEBB FEET!!

A good trip!

You might not believe it, but there were absolutely, positively, *no* travel issues this week! In fact, Delta has re-designed some of their regional jets (CRJ-70) to have a first class section, so from Cincinatti to DC I loaded up on free Bloody Marys. Not really conducive to working later that evening, but stellar as far as flights go.

No troubles today either. No crazy cab drivers ... well, it did take three tries to get from DC to Tysons Corner on Wednesday, but, to be fair, it was raining and no one in their right mind would want to make that drive during rush hour, much less in the rain.

So now I'm home and staying home all next week.
The week after that doesn't exist on my calendar.
It is the week that has Aug 31 in it.
The day I take my baby girl to boarding school.

So we're pretending that week doesn't exist.

Then I'm back to two weeks in DC Sept 7-9 and 13-16. Hopefully we'll see less humidity and some fall weather by then.

Signed,

Cleopatra
Queen of Da Nile

Aly's big news

We've known for years that the girl is a genius, and the big news is the final proof. Having skipped the sixth grade, Aly is acing the seventh in addition to taking ceramics and gymnastics once a week. We looked into private schools, like Evansville Day School, but we weren't wowed. Mike went to boarding school for a few years, so we checked into it. Boarding schools are definitely more plentiful along the east coast, but we found a small, closer place in St. Louis.

Thomas Jefferson School sits on 20 acres and has about 80 students enrolled in grades 7-12. About 60% of the students are seven day boarders and the average class size is 12. The average SAT score is 2150. Aly has visited twice and was enthralled. I have to say, I was pretty impressed too.

So, after much discussion, it is official. Aly will move to St. Louis to attend TJ on August 31. We are excited for her to be in a challenging learning environment, as well as testing out her independence. We think she'll flourish in this place.

So over the next few months, we'll find out who her roommate will be, decided what color comforters and pillows, and decided on the care package schedule. I'm very excited for her, and I promise to keep everyone updated through the blog. Maybe I can get HER to make some blog updates too.

Another new toy for the kids

If you think my kids are spoiled... they are. And it is all their dad's fault.
I love how Zak is posing for a photo as requested and Aly is taking the opportunity to torture her brother.

Fail: Take Your Kid to Work Day

I swear, since that first time in Indianapolis, Aly hasn't been able to go with me to work on Take Your Kid to Work Day. This time, it was a business trip to Dallas. Actually, now that I work from home, I supposed taking her to work would really mean she'd just sit in my office and listen to conference calls. She'd probably rather be in school.
Sorry kiddo. We'll try again next year.

El Quacko

Insight into a conversation with my precocious 11 year old:

Aly, randomly, in the car, singing:

El Quacko's not like other ducks
He rides around in a big red truck
Singing riiiide, El Quacko, ride.

He's ridin', ridin' cross the land
Quackin' real loud and feelin' grand
Singing riiiide, El Quacko, ride.

Me, cracking up:
Did you make that up?

Maybe.

Does El Quacko wear a cape and a mask?

Yes, and a black hat.

Does he have a mustache?

Yes, a curly one. He was the first choice for the AFLAC commercials, but his accent was too much.

.... both of us ponder El Quacko's commercial audition.

You know, we can't tell Nana and Pawpaw about El Quacko.

We can't? Why?

Because he drives a Ford.
Note to my readers: Everyone knows Pawpaw hates a Ford.

Couldn't he trade it in on a Dodge?

And without missing a beat, she says:

Not in this economy.

Action Shots

Aly shooting a free throw. Look at that form!



Practice shot.

Basketball

Aly is excited about playing basketball for her daddy, the coach.



It is a church league, so nothing too crazy, but the kiddos are having fun and they seem to be getting better every week.

Skate World

A high school friend rented Skate World for her daughter's birthday and invited us to come along. The kids hadn't been skating in a while, so there was a lot of wall hugging.


But we all had fun. Not that you can tell from the fuzzy photos. Still figuring out this camera.

Create!

Aly and I had some success yesterday with scrapbooking. It had been a long time, but I spent several hours going through boxes and unpacking new purchases (what? just because I haven't scrapbooked doesn't mean I haven't bought supplies.) to prep for our session. For all of the layouts, we used Sassafrass Lass papers (purchased at Your Scrapbook Superstore and Clearance Center last spring), Martha Stewart and Creative Memories markers, Stickles (from ScrapFreak), various chipboard, random ribbon, and the photos from Aly's pottery experience in Gatlinburg. I did most of this first page, though Aly convinced me to use a chipboard arrow for the "T" in the title and slightly tilt the photo. Her favorite part is the way I highlighted some of the words behind the sheer ribbon by coloring them in with markers. I love the pop the Stickles (in Diamond and Cinnamon) gave to the chipboard flowers at the bottom.

Aly did this one entirely by herself. Actually, she did some of it while I was napping, and I was surprised to see the chipboard numbers added to the photos. They look really great. I recommended the ribbon and the library pocket, but the rest was all her. Mom says she is as good as me. Aly says, "um, better." Here is a closeup of the library card with her journaling. She makes sure to journal on all of her layouts.

The last LO showcases her finished bowl and her teacher, Miss Amanda. Lots of glitter here (Martha Stewart pens and Stickles). Oh, and we used our Crop-a-Dile to set the eyelets on the vellum quote. That is calligraphy, but we used a secret technique I learned from a co-worker ... print a calligraphic font in grayscale and go over it with your pens. Viola!

I'll say that using a paper line that already matched made things so easy. I've sorted my paper by color theme now, so when we are ready to scrap, we can grab a stack of paper and pick out the matching embellishments. We took over the dining room table yesterday, and it gave us lots of room -- room for at least one more if anyone's up for visiting! I hope I'm able to keep scrapping through the year, even with all the travel I'll be doing. Having the paper already matched will make the planning process easier, so I hope so. Thanks for looking!

Weekend Update

Seems like I'm only posting on the weekends. Here's what's been happening with us.

I didn't make it to the football game Friday, but listened on the way home from the airport. It seems that my Friday evenings have been set aside for catching up on my shows from the week and cleaning off the DVR: Dancing With the Stars, Flash Forward, Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth.

I've found a new cure for headaches. Sitting on the deck watching baby ducks on the lake. Aly was supposed to have a slumber party, but most girls had other things to do, so only one friend stayed over. I had Mom over and we all ate pizza and played games. Mad Gab is a hoot, and watching the girls play Upwords was educational. Aly changed corn to porno. That's my girl.

Sunday, we made a trip to urgent care. The boy has strep. The doc literally looked for three seconds at his throat and prescribed antibiotics. I hope he feels better soon; he really is miserable.

The Lions won today. Cue the apocolypse.

Kid Drama

Well, we had to have our first episode sooner or later.

We successfully placed Aly in the 7th grade at Boonville Middle School. She had completed the 5th grade in Virginia in the Gifted and Talented (GT) program. Essentially, she had completed 6th grade work and had moved on to 7th. When we spoke with her counselor during enrollment, he indicated that the would put her in 7th, pending a conversation with her Virginia teacher (who didn't report to work until after Labor Day). We were told that the equivalent of GT in Indiana is "Excel" classes, but that there is no 6th grade Excel. So the option is 6th or 7th and we put her in 7th.

Well, today he calls to say "good news! She can go right into 6th Excel with no testing." Huh? I asked if he had talked to her 7th grade teachers, and he said yes, that they were sad to see her go. In fact, her math teacher said Aly was the best student she'd had in a very long time and she liked to use Aly's insight in working problems to help the other kids in the class. When I asked about keeping her in 7th, he mumbled about "the law." Um, dude, there is no law. We'll be fighting this, to keep her in 7th, where she's doing so well.

Separately, Aly had to come home due to yet another infestation of head lice. You know how some people just get attacked by mosquitos or fleas? This girl's got it for lice.

In other news, Zak called from school with a migraine and Mike and I both missed the calls. My mom finally got ahold of Mike. Poor Zak threw up all the way through town and laid on the floor of the bathroom for two hours before he could sleep.

So, things must be totally normal for the Edwards family. We're assimilated.

Gonna have a wild weekend

It all started today when I decided not to work. Okay so I worked for 30 minutes - but not even all at once.
Aly, Mike & I went to lunch --- I must digress ...

We tend to have emergencies when Mike is out of town. Yesterday, they had one without me. Nothing too horrible, but consider this a PSA: if your husband has an awful, lifelong fear/aversion to bugs and calls to say he found a few little bugs in your kid's hair and he's pretty sure they are just gnats from a tree and you convince him to wash her hair with lice shampoo anyway and he says he combed every inch of her hair and you don't get in till midnight so you believe him--- think again because you will spend at least three hours of your day off re-washing and re-combing every single strand of her hair. At least he washed all the sheets and clothes and bagged the pillows. Oh and btw she slept in the waterbed while you were gone.
Anyone else scratching their heads now?

Okay, where was I? Ah lunch at the Mexican place and a long long nap because we are going to the midnight showing of my favorite movie in the whole world: The Princess Bride. I've never seen it on the big screen and I can't wait. We're all going and I imagine folks will be saying the lines along with the movie. I'm wearing my "I'm in the brut squad" shirt.
After the movie we will come home for a nap because we are going to leave early for Mt Airy (the real Mayberry). We will see the sights around town, check in to the hotel and then head out early to get a good spot at the drive-in. Double feature is Night at the Museum & Terminator Salvation.
It's about a 5 hr drive home Sunday, so Monday will be a day of rest. I'm really looking forward to it. Hope all of you have a great weekend.

Math Decathalon

We went to Aly's school for the Math Decathalon tonight. I thought it was some sort of math contest, but it was like a fun fair with different math activities. We had a ton of fun playing with logic puzzles, tesselations, geometry, and the like.
Yes, I am a nerd. Still.

Well, so much for Mother of the Year...

We never made it to dinner, because Aly's fingers got smashed in the van door in the parking lot of the restaurant. We spent three hours in the ER. It's not broken but she has a splint.
This photo was taken after about 2.5 hours of ice packs, so it looks a lot better than it started out.

Our last whole day of Girls Week

We used our last two free breakfast coupons this morning and had a LOT to eat. I gave Aly a manicure with Mary Kay Satin Hands and she chose a silver nail polish.
I was not feeling well, sore throat and earache from all that swimming, so I napped a bit. More Nickelodeon shows and then we went to dinner at Red Robin and had milkshakes.
We scrapped and ate M&Ms. I've gotten two more layouts done and plan to do two more. Aly is inspired to take photos of everday life. She took one of my bedside table today: bible, blackberry, pooky bear, M&Ms, tv remote. She says that is a perfect momma picture.
I imagine we'll run out for some McDonalds soon, in our jammies, and spend the rest of the night watching TruTV or A&E.
Its been a great trip but we're ready to get back to our kitties and doggies. Oh, and the boys too. :)