Yes, what you are seeing behind Abbey are wall to wall 3rd graders. There was an equally large sea of small fry bodies on the opposite side! Lots of children, dropping and rolling balls, sugar in the form of sodas, brownies, smoothies, and candy were everywhere!

My little chocoholic thought the quarter pound brownie was awesome.

She did proclaim that the PINK balls were too heavy!

     You haven’t lived until you hear an ocean of 3rd grade voices all singing loud and proud Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb”!

       Mathew had his own exciting moments. “The play’s the thing,” said William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Mat would agree. Especially, a Texas History play where there are cowboys, monks, Native Americans, Praire women, tornados, and line dancing!

       I think the next to last Line Dancing number to a Shania Twain tune says it all:

     Today my princess, dressed in her finest, went to her school’s “Fairy Tale Ball”. She danced with Pinochio. She had cupcakes, cookies, and punch. She rubbed elbows with other royalty, magical people, and even a few villians. There were a number of Peter Pans, Pirates, Princes, Princesses, Dorthys, various Disney Princesses, the Red Queen and Mad Hatter, Johnny Apple Seeds, Paul Bunyans, Pecos Bills, the Tin Man, Captain Hook, and more.

     Abbey’s first choice was “Elphaba”. And really who could blame her! Elphie is different. Elphie was misunderstood. Elphie had a passion for justice and saving the oppressed. Elphie was the underdog. Elphie was brilliant. And she could sing! Abbey related to the emotions Elphaba experienced and her need to be accepted and wanted. I loved the idea. However, in a small town Abbey and I were afraid that all that anyone would see would be Margaret Hamilton’s version not Idina Menzel’s.

So finally for many of the same reasons, Abbey chose to be Disney’s Beauty and the Beast’s “Belle”. After all “Belle” saved her Prince instead of waiting around to be saved! I was thrilled with her logic. (Belle is my favorite Disney Princess too unless you count Gisell.)

    My girl is quiet by nature. She isn’t flamboyant or flashy. She is lovely and very tender hearted. She was a bit nervous and a little self concious about it all. But I applied make-up, shined up her tiara, and she shone. She is a royalty to me. I am very proud of her. She isn’t the ham her big brother is. She is more meditative and thoughtful. She doesn’t need or want a crowd like Mat and I, but her soothing spirit often heals people one on one. You feel at peace around Abbey. Everyone is welcome in her circle. She is a realist. She is honest. She is growing.

     She had fun I think. She danced her final dance with me. And I all I could think was:

     Ten years ago, he was a tiny, raven haired, “blue” (wet lungs) wriggly, thing with giant brown eyes . I was a marveling, wriggling, stunned, wide  eyed…. new mom. I had no clue what I was supposed to do with this new life placed in my hands. Not really. I mean I was fairly certain that there would be bottles, diapers, and no more sleep … ever. I was fairly certain that I needed to up grade my super hero knowledge bank. I was reading like frantic for the nine months prior to his arrival about robots, Narnia, Wrinkle in Time, Christopher Robin, King David, and Jesus. I listened to Andrew Peterson’s “Little Boy Heart Alive” and Rich Mullins’ “Boy Like You/ Man like Me”.

     I have been so proud for the last 10 yrs. to be his mom. He really has been very easy. He’s bright intellectually and in personality. He’s funny. He loves making others laugh. He’s considerate and tender hearted. He adores his baby sister. Now, that’s not to say he doesn’t have flaws. He has his mother’s sharp tongue to match his gift for words. He has his father’s quickness to judge to match his joy in making friends. He has the laze about gene like the 80′s version of Strawberry Shortcake’s Huckleberry Pie that make most boys like long summer days flat on your back doing nothing (even if mom just requested your room to be cleaned). But he is becoming a man I am more proud of every day and amazed by every moment. He has my dreamer spirit still. He has my since of life’s injustices and frankness of speech.

     Today I woke him at 4 a.m. to put him on a charter bus with scads of other 4th graders headed from this area near Dallas to Austin. He’ll tour the state capital. He’ll play games on the bus about Texas and national history. He will eat pizza with his buddies. Then he’ll come dragging home around 8:00 pm tonight.  He is going without me. He is stepping out and stepping up. I’m not concerned about his behavior. He has a strong sense of right and wrong married to a deep respect for others. I still am that  25 year old new mom some where who wonders if I can keep him safe. I worry about providing him with what he needs (and much of what he wants). I worry about things out of my control like flat tires on the bus, insane people at the capital, will he have enough to eat, will he eat in the time he’s given, and a host of other things a mom lets swim in her grey matter when her hands are not close to the ones she loves.

     I agree that he needs the right to independence. I agree he is growing up and responsible. I know he can respect those in authority and handle himself well. But… he’s my boy. And I love him. I always will. So a moment to ponder and then I’ll open my hand and let him grow. I am so proud of my son.

Humpty Dumpty nursery rhymes
Music is a friend of mine
Gentle with someone who’s small
For someone tiny she stands so tall

She is brilliant to me
I don’t know if I’ve ever told her
I know I’ve never told her enough

Teaching me in Sunday school
Living out the golden rule
Holding tight while letting go
One of the strongest ladies I know

I am becoming more like her
I don’t know if I’ve ever told her.
I’ve never thanked her enough.

I find myself feeling restless like my kids. I want to travel and see things coming back to life. I love living things.

There are times I am still such a child. I run from blossom to blossom. I love the spring time discoveries.

I read to them the story of Patrick and his friends who were on a trip to see King Laoghhaire. They were traveling and Patrick sensed an ambush about to occur. So he and his friends chanted or prayed the following:

Fáed Fíada – The Cry of the Deer

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the
Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession
of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,
through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial
through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim
in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels,
in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,
in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven:
light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire,
speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea,
stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to secure me:
against snares of devils, against temptations of vices,
against inclinations of nature, against everyone who
shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.
I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):
against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose
my body and my soul,
against incantations of false prophets,
against black laws of heathenry,
against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry,
against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that endangers man’s body and soul.
Christ to protect me today
against poison, against burning, against drowning,
against wounding, so that there may come abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right,
Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length,
Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the
Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the
Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

(found at http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/StPatrick.html )

    I also like to read some of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Swiftly Tilting Planet . Patrick’s Breastplate is the thread through the whole book. I love her works but this one in particular so very much.

       The kids and I try to hunt for four leaf clovers. We eat a picnic somewhere green and full of spring. That is St. Patrick’s day for us. A celebration of a man of peace. Peace should be celebrated often. 

I don’t often repost someone else’s articles, but this article intrigued me. So I’m sharing it for all moms who surf, blog, tweet, Facebook it, myspace it, or in general use the web to stay connected or get connected. The web community is amazing because of it’s access to so many globally. If you’ve wondered why you connect with joansmith@somewhereincyberspace.org better than just about anyone in your real life that you know… well…. you might not be so alone.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Increasingly-Isolated-Moms-bw-510302110.html?x=0&.v=1

Tiny Tim said it best
Category: Life

Every year to prepare for Christmas, we always watch Henson’s Muppet’s Christmas Carol. I love the original Charles Dickens classic and I remember watching the theater production in college. I love the story. But the Muppet version is something as a family we watch and discuss.

We talk about literature and wordsmiths. We talk about the richness of language: “solitary as an oyster” or “the ghost of Christmas present” or “there’s more of gravy than the grave about you”. We talk about a lot more than Christmas. We talk about the sacredness of people. We talk about greed and the disease of “more”. We talk about what it really means to care for others. We talk about making advent last all year long when we live the coming of Christ daily. ” In our prayers and dreams we ask you bless us all”…. from Henson’s Muppet’s Christmas Carol

Currently watching : The Muppet Christmas Carol – Kermit’s 50th Anniversary Edition Release date: 2005-11-29

Ken Gire records some dialogue from the courtroom scene from the 1994 movie “Nell” in the opening of his book, The Reflective Life: Becoming more Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life. (In the translated version of Nell’s speech) Mr. Guire writes,

You have big things-

You know big things-

But you don’t look into each other’s eyes.

And you are hungry for quiteness.

I’ve lived a small life-

And I know small things.

But the quiet forest is full of angels-

In the daytime there comes beauty-

In the nighttime, there comes happiness.

Don’t be afraid for Nell.

Don’t weep for Nell.

I have no greater sorrow than yours.”

About this speech Mr. Guire writes,

Nell was right.

We shouldn’t weep for her. We should weep for ourselves. For we have big things, know big things, yet our nights are filled with anxiety, our days with drudgery, and in the forest around us we see only trees. We have big things- megachurches, multimedia resources, ministries that reach around the world. We know big things- the doctrines of the Bible, the differences between the denominations, the datelines to Armageddon.

But we don’t look into each other’s eyes.

And we are hungry for quietness.

We are starved for a life that not only senses the sacred in the world around us but savors it. We are famished for experiences that are real, realtionships that are deep, work that is meaningful. -Ken Gire, The Reflective Life, pg.9-11