proud papas
July 7, 2011 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
These awards were given to the top 100 academically ranked high school students every year at two of our local high schools. My parents have these two photos displayed together in a frame and I love how they complement each other. My Grandpa died before I was born so I never got the chance to meet this wonderful man; but I feel this photo shows how proud he was of his children, and I think, of how proud he would have been of his grandchildren and his son for raising us with our Mom. My Dad looks equally proud of my sister and I. My sister and my Dad are nearly the same age with their awards, my sister a freshman and my Dad a sophomore. You can see how much they look alike, same nose, same thin build.
I don’t look like my Dad as much as my sister, but I act like him the most. We’re both perfectionists, gardeners, detailed story tellers (we recount events in chronological order with every detail accounted for… I don’t know how to follow or tell a story any other way) and can be very sarcastic!
what shines through
June 29, 2011 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Everyone refers to Erin as my “mini-me.” There have even been times when looking through photo albums that she’s thought a picture of me was one of her.
She is definitely my mini-me in more than just looks though. We are both voracious readers, extremely tom-boyish, have absolutely no fashion sense, and as my son says, we’re also both incredibly thick-headed.
Where she got her artistic abilities and amazing singing voice I have no idea, but I hope she continues to nurture them and doesn’t allow my stage fright to be a trait that holds her back.
I can’t help but think of myself at her age as I watch her grow into a young lady, and I just hope that she manages to avoid the mistakes I made, but even then I know that like me, she’ll come through it all fine.
the face
June 24, 2011 | Filed Under Uncategorized | 4 Comments
My daughter is the singular most awesome 4-year-old ever. When her dad and I were going through a divorce, we took her to a couple of sessions of therapy to make sure she was doing okay. After one session the therapist said she is extremely intelligent, is headstrong, likes to do things her own way, and even if she’s told to do something a certain way, she won’t do it if it doesn’t make sense to her. My Ex looked at me and said, “Hm. That sounds familiar.” I said, “Sorry!” She’s also funny as hell, and I’ve been told I can be pretty clever. And she likes to sing as loud as she can in the car, just like her mom.
We could not be more different in how girly she is. I don’t like to wear much makeup, I prefer t-shirts, jeans, and my brown chucks. I wear simple hoop earrings and a Snoopy watch she gave me. I can fix a toilet and spackle like a mofo. She likes to put on makeup with Grandma, she wears high heels, sparkly play skirts (shirt optional), 10 rings, 7 bracelets, and a pink feather boa. The only pretend games she plays must involve her being a princess somehow.
I hope she inherits my fierce independence, but I hope she asks for help and trusts people more. I hope she is more socially comfortable, accessible emotionally, and a better driver. I am very conscious of religions she is being exposed to and I try to steer her away from them. I want her to hold on to her light-heartedness, kindness, and her willingness to try new foods. My life’s work is to keep her from ending up with a guy like her dad. You might not want to add that last part anywhere, I’m just keepin’ it real.
folded hands
June 3, 2011 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
While growing up, I always told that I looked more like my dad & that my disposition was his too, along with my nose, though my eyes were definitely my mom’s. As I grew up, especially when I turned twenty, my mom-isms definitely started coming out. The more we talked & became closer after I moved out, the more I found out was the same, from our mannerisms, pet-peeves & the way we process emotions. She became invaluable when I really started growing into the person I’m still becoming. She was a constant source of support. She is the only one I know that will absolutely always know exactly what I’m talking about. As the list of dissimilarities gets shorter, I find more & more a best friend, the person that makes me feel like I am not alone. And for that, I am beyond grateful.