sick day :(

Jillian is home sick today and not very happy with me for keeping her home. You see, Jilly hates missing school because she hates getting behind in her work. She's the kid who comes home from school, opens the books & gets started on her homework immediately - even on a Friday. Missing a day of school truly messes with the organization and structure of her day and week, and already she's stressing about making up the work from today.

Our weekend was a bit crazy with an extra person in the house & a 21st birthday party (Happy Birthday Bradley!), and it's almost like Jilly didn't have time to be sick. So today it's time. She's hanging out in my bedroom (today, of all days, we're getting the sofa and the carpets cleaned so the family room is off limits) and getting in as much screen time as possible. What makes this sick day so "fabulous" is that there's no school on Friday, so it's a 3 day week for Jilly.

Holden is on a diet!!!

now...

...then (& w/ mama isabella)

Yup! That's right! After Holden's yearly visit to the vet, she told us we need to cut back a little on what we're feeding him. He isn't in the "overweight" category but bordering between the "slightly overweight" and perfect category. Holden didn't care - just wagged his tail & tried to lick the vet's face, and being a beagle who obviously will eat anything, thought the lean treats were still pretty awesome.

Milo goes to see the vet today (It's nearly impossible to take both of them at the same time by myself, so we do it in two visits.). We'll see if he passes the weight test.

girls in the house

cupcake party

girls in the kitchen

mallory & her girlies

bonus: they cleaned up their mess

I knew that as the girls got older their desire to hang out with mom & dad & each other would change as their desire to hang out with friends grew. I'm o.k. with this - partly because I know it's a part of life & where they are right now & mostly because they both have made fabulous choices in friends.

I have always wanted our home to be a place where they felt comfortable to bring their friends, and I love that they do. I like the peace and quiet of an empty house, but I also really like the sound of kids in the house doing their thing. So when the house has girl things strewn from one end to another after a sleepover, icing on the ceiling from a cupcake party, makeup on the counter after getting ready for homecoming, tshirts drying/hanging in the garage for spirit week, & music & laughter & talking, I smile. It's all good and just as it should be.

this one's for the girls

by Martina McBride

This is for all you girls about thirteen
High school can be so rough, can be so mean

Hold on to, on to your innocence
Stand your ground when everybody's giving in

This one's for the girls

Who've ever had a broken heart

Who've wished upon a shooting star

You're beautiful the way you are

This one's for the girls

Who love without holding back

Who dream with everything they have

All around the world

This one's for the girls

[photos by jordan remke]

...clear eyes, full heart, can't lose

Courtney & Carrie

Happy Birthday to my fabulous niece, Carrie, & my fellow Dillon Panther/Tim Riggins fan! You're awesome!

i can't wait

...sneak peak

I haven't had professional pictures taken of the girls in such a long time - don't even ask how long it's been. Jordan has such a talent for capturing great moments, and I think she is awesome. So she was the perfect choice for a photo session with Mallory & Jillian. Kirstin came too, and it was so much fun to watch the girls and Jord & Kirst together creating some fabulous shots. I can't wait to see the rest! Thanks Jord!

Moments with Mallory

Mallory Paige

Yesterday I had lunch with Mallory. It's not that we don't have lunch together. We do - at home, when we're out shopping, with Peter, with Jillian, with family & friends, but lunch yesterday was different. It was an intentional "date" & time with just Mallory - inspired by someone who I respect & love learning from (thanks Carla!!!).

School this year is going to be hard with some tough classes & a heavy work load. I know that Mallory will be able to tackle the job ahead of her and succeed, but Wednesday night she was feeling a little overwhelmed. She cried & we talked on the way home since she and I were the only ones in the car (these are some of my favorite moments). I gave her lots of "teacher" advice & practical mom advice about how to plan, organize & make choices about her busy schedule. Then I realized that maybe I just needed to be a mom, not a practical, experienced & wise mom - just a mom.

So we made a date for lunch the next day. I picked up Chipotle, picked her up from school and headed to the great park nearby. We didn't talk about school or classes or homework or projects. She talked about her friends and parties and of course, driving & the old Volkswagen bug or "hippie" van she REALLY wants. I loved spending that half hour with her, and she asked when we could do it again. Now not only does she get to have her "daddy daughter dates" with Peter, I get to have those special times too.

When she kissed me good-bye (love that she still does that) & walked into school, my prayer for her was that she would be surrounded by people who would build her up & encourage her, that the "burden" of school would be light & most of all that her heart would continue to be tender & Jesus would shine through her.

What a privilege it is to be her mom, pray for her and share this role of parenting with Peter!