My girls.

Laura and Becca are getting so mature. It makes me proud and sad all at the same time. I am left with questions like "Have I done all that I can to prepare them for the big world?". I know you can't turn back the clock, but I would love to spend just a day, back with them when they were little.

Becca is in fifth grade and she goes to school in District 49, with me. We have so enjoyed this time together. As I write this, the year is half over and I will dread next year when she is not with me anymore, during my commute to and from school. She is a beautiful girl. Still blond and still has big blue eyes. She is our "girlie girl". She loves anything pink and frilly. She loves to dress and she tells me when I am not wearing something that meets her standards. I am so proud of her as she is hard at work, preparing for "Battle of the Books". She made the team and has five books to read over winter break. She will start competing in the spring. The team competes against other schools, answering questions about books. Kind of a "Jeopardy", book version of the game for kids. She is really dedicated and we are so proud of her. She no longer wants to play the violin. I am a little sad, but I don't want to push. She has requested voice lessons starting in the spring. We are going to find a teacher up in our neck of the woods and we will see how it goes.

Laura is getting ready for high school. Where did the time go? She and I have had some communication issues, as of late. Teenagers are tough. I love her so much, but I often don't tell her in a way that she understands. I seem to embarrass her constantly. Please pray for our relationship. We are so proud of her. She is doing well academically without much of a push. That feels good. She is so gifted with singing and now she plays the guitar. She has taken guitar lessons for about six months and she is quite good. She was asked to sing in the praise band at church. She dropped band, last quarter. She has decided to sing in the choir and she has joined the drama class at school. I think she will do well. She continues to draw and is gifted in this area too. She submitted a letter and was accepted into the 3-D art class, at school. She is truly my "artsy" kid. She is not a "girlie girl" in the least. She will roll her eyes when she sees anything pink. Forget getting her to wear a dress. She is going on a mission trip through church, over Spring Break. She will be going to San Diego to do "Backyard Bible School" type stuff. I am so glad that she has held strong in her faith. It seems like yesterday when I was off on mission trips. They changed my life for the better.

TTFN