The Vocabulary of an Adult

Zoe has a large vocabulary.  Something doesn't taste good, it's delicious.  Something isn't pretty, it's glamorous.  She talks as though she's an adult with a flair for description. 

She and N have been invited to a Daddy Daughter Social this month.  It isn't just any social, it's a princess social.  That means she can dress up as a princess.  Because she's also a director, she's planning on N dressing up as a prince.  He's being quite a good sport about it.  I think he's planning on wearing his suit and Fedora.  Zoe's planning he look exactly like Prince Charming from Cinderella. 

Nonetheless, they are STOKED!

My mom and I have a plan to make Zoe a Cinderella dress rather than just have her wear her store-bought one.  Not that there is anything wrong with it, but a homemade one will give her that extra bit of glamor that she's looking for.  Plus, there's a costume contest and how awesome would it be that she would win.

Since it's getting to be prom season, there was a huge sale on special occasion fabric.  Zoe and I went to the store last night.  I found some light blue satin fabric and a matching shimmer overlay.  It will make it look like the dress is sparkling.  I was excited!

Zoe was about 3/4 of the row in front of me, found some light blue fabric with jewels sewn on it, and yelled, "mom, this fabric is so much more me, don't ya think?" She held it up to her cheek and batted her eyes. 

Sometimes I cannot keep a straight face with this one.

A Different Easter

This week at AWANA, Zoe's verse is about Easter.  It was Matthew 28:6, "He's not here...he is risen!"

When I quizzed Zoe on her verse of this week, she said:

He's not here, He's in prison

Wouldn't that totally change the whole celebration of Easter? 

Go, Dog. Go!

We have an amazing Children's Theater in our area.  I remember going to productions when I was a little girl.  Afterward, you could take your program and have the characters sign it.  They would sign it "Snow White" or "Dopey."  I remember getting Snow White's signature and thinking that I had really  made the big time.  Some of my favorite memories of my childhood are from going to these plays.

Now that Zoe is a bit older and quite into drama herself, we decided it would be a perfect time to introduce her to the Children's Theater.  She had gone to see a production of The Wizard of Oz that a school put on and LOVED it.  She was totally geared up for Go, Dog.  Go!

We bought the book and read it. 

I had no clue how they were going to turn this book into a play.  It's things like, "Red Dog on a blue tree.  Blue Dog on a red tree."  That's not really exciting or time consuming.  Then we found out that a lady named Kathie Doyle-Lipe was going to be in the production.  She is fantastic.  I worked with her during some of my drama years in high school.  She has a stage presence that is amazing and her heart is absolutely sweet.  I love her!  I knew with her in the play, this was going to be so fun. 

I was totally unprepared for how adorable this play was.  Lots of music, lots of laughing and a pink "poodle" that Zoe fell in love with.  This is her excited face during intermission.

Their finale included a tap line.  Since Zoe and I both tap, this was something she thought was so cool.  She's got about 1,978,576 plans for her next dance recital. 

Sharing these moments with her took me back to my childhood.  I only hope I can to 1/2 of the job my mom did for me.

A Bit Off

It took much convincing for Zoe to get a haircut.  In fact it was about 2 years ago that we started this brave adventure of haircuts.  We've transitioned from fear and crying, to "mom, when are we going to get my haircut again?!?"  She's all about a little salon time.  She is even talking about going to my place to get her hair done.  Lizzie does my hair and Zoe is fascinated that I go somewhere other than her place.  Granted, I don't particularly fit into the train chair, so my options are a bit limited at Zoe's hair cuttin' place, as she calls it.

Times have changed in the hair cuttin' department, Zoe is eager to go have it done.  While that has changed, the tears, the crying and the struggle to actually comb her hair and keep anything in it that will keep the hair out of her face is a continuing battle.  I got my hair cut a week ago and it was shorter, like 6 inches shorter.  I love it.  Long hair and me have a strained relationship.

Zoe loved my hair.  We chatted about getting her hair cut like mine.  She was all for it.  Inside me a part of me was jumping up and down, screaming, "thank you Lord Jesus for this miracle!" 

The night before the hair cuttin' day, she had a nighttime moment of crying.  She decided she couldn't cut her hair, she couldn't do it AT.ALL!  My internal dialogue switched to, "why God, why?"  We compromised of getting a little cut off to make the brushing easier. 

Zoe is so my child because on the actual hair cuttin' day, she was ready for short hair.  She ponied up and was ready.  When Edith cut her hair before brushing and then the actual brushing wasn't painful, Zoe was all in!

Here's a better picture from our picnic on a gorgeous Sunday:

I'm positive that haircut just aged her 2 years.  She looks so much older and cannot stop shaking her head "no" and feeling the short hair whip around.  She even let me use a hair dryer on it after bath time.  Seriously, in 5 years, technically 3 if you count only years with hair, that has happened 1 other time.  I think she may be more ready for Lizzie than she realizes!

A Cute Sewing Project

It's only taken 6 months to get into a routine with school, church, life.  With that routine comes time to sew!

Zoe goes to a private school for Pre-K.  The elementary portion of the private school, along with the preschool and Pre-K programs are at one campus and the junior high and high school are at a campus close to our home.  The school has been incredibly blessed with a new elementary campus near the junior high/high school campus.  Today is her last day at the old campus and two of her teachers will not be moving.  We had to come up with a little thank you gift for them.

My mom had some stamps that said, "thanks a latte" and I had coffee fabric.  I'm not entirely sure what made me originally by fabric with a coffee theme, but I thought I could use it on something.  Quite frankly, I think that's how a fabric addiction starts.  You think you'll have a use for it and then pretty soon you have a whole room of just fabric.  Trust me, I'm not judging, just getting a clear picture of my future!

We found this pattern and we made this with it:

Once it's cut out, it sews together faster than you can make a tuna sandwich. 

Heart as Big as a Whale

This last week has been a difficult one.  We learned that N's mom broke her hip and had to have surgery.  She's not known to do very well recovering from surgery, so this was something that concerned us greatly.  There was talk of having to use pins/rods/screws or a possible hip replacement.  They were going in blind. 

As soon as we learned this, Zoe asked us to pray because when Jesus puts his hand on someone, they are healed!  She prayed for that, which warms this mamma's heart.

Because of all the concern with the surgery, N is having a hard time being alone and not there!  He's a fixer when it comes to things and even though he couldn't fix her hip, he'd want to be there to fix whatever he could.  It was very hard to be separated from us and from his mom. 

Last night, Zoe was laying on the couch, with her feet kicked up behind her and called N no less than three times in a row.  Just to tell him that she loved him.

I'm positive she has no clue how tender she is.  When any of us needs a little reminder of how loved we are, she's eager to demonstrate that, whether it's seen or not.  She's my little reminder of who I need to be more often than I am!

Fragile

Ever since Zoe's accident last week, I've been a little on edge.  With her birth being so traumatic, I am keenly aware of how fragile life is.  I have a very different view of being a mother than I did when I got pregnant.  I see all the things in life that I want to protect our girls from.  It's not just injury, it's bullies, low self-esteem, cancer, people intent on hurting them, and on and on and on.  I see our girls as fragile, tender children who only need to know the best that life has to offer.

I want to give them only that life. 

I want to wrap them in bubble wrap and go everywhere with them.  I'm sure they'd love it, but unfortunately it's not realistic!  I have to have faith that God has them in His care.  I have to remind myself that our girls are actually His, not mine.  I'm just the blessed woman who gets to be in their life. 

Sometimes at night, when I'm drifting off to sleep and my subconscious takes over, I have those flashbacks of the "worst case scenario."  I know, over time, these will fade.  If I look back on Zoe's life, she's been protected in so many ways.  They are ways that only God can protect her.  I know, without a shadow of a doubt, He's got her.  There are just those moments when I'm totally human. 

N and I were talking about our life together.  It started bad.  We both weren't the partner we needed to be.  If we look back, we wouldn't change anything.  It's paved the way for where we are now.  Despite the miles, despite the stress that can cause, we are in a better place than we have ever been.  That's only a God thing.

I have to remind myself that nothing is a surprise to God.  He doesn't sit up there and say, "wow, I did not see that one coming!"  He puts the details together that pave the way for what He has planned for us.  I know He does the exact same for our girls.

There are moments when I realize how little control I have.  How much I'm on the ride just as much as N and our girls.  I have faith that the God who brings us to the trial, will walk us through it.  I know His plan is better than anything I could dream up. 

This week has been reminder of how fragile life is.  That reminder keeps me in the moment.  It keeps me thanking God for all that He's done for us, despite my very selfish nature.  I'm humbled to be given this life because I don't deserve it.  I'm challenged to give everything to Him.  To put everything, including myself and my family, at His feet.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  I Thessalonians 5:16-18