It's the last day of school and I slipped out of bed just before 6am so I could enjoy the quiet before the summer madness starts. I went to bed last night a little anxious about having all my kids home for summer; I have enjoyed the quiet year with just Quinn and me during the school days. But this morning, I am grateful for each of my kids and their different strengths and I am so glad we are all together!
Preslie is home with us after spending the majority of her 8th grade year with my husband's parents. I could never picture myself at age 13/14 doing what she has done for the past 8 months. Far from home, living with grandma and grandpa, brand new school and classmates, new town, new Young Women's group... she learned a lot, cried a lot, made great new friends, bonded with her grandparents, pushed her grandpa's buttons, and missed her siblings and parents! We missed her, too!
Preslie is always ready for adventure. She is up to go anywhere, especially if I'm paying. Ha! She is a hard worker when it's time to work. She is the kid that I can ask to do a job, and she goes and gets it done the first time she is asked, and does it well. She likes to have music playing all the time; likes to sing, dance, and is insanely flexible. Although she is 5'8" like me, her legs are longer than mine and she has no problem doing her splits on both sides and she can roll through her middle splits. If you don't know what that looks like, ask her to do it for you. One thing I love about Preslie is that once she decides to do something, there is NO stopping her. She has decided to get fit this summer, and I've never seen a 14 year old stick to healthy eating like she has in the past week I've been with her. Nothing can dissuade or distract her! This quality can also be a curse if she wants to do something that isn't reasonable or that I have to put off because of other commitments; she can nearly drive everyone nuts with her agenda. But, this quality has served her well in her school projects and other things she wants to accomplish.
Preslie is the leader among my kids. She is the one that brings everyone together. Everyone gets along with her, and she has a cute relationship with each of her siblings. She is funny and beautiful, and smart, and strong.
Hunter is such a good kid. He's pretty chill for the most part doesn't get to fired up very often. We have an SUV with a 3rd row seat, and he always takes the very back on road trips because he gets it to himself. He loves to read and has read SO so many books this year, it's mind boggling. He can devour a 500 page book in a weekend, no problem. This year in 6th grade, he has participated in a online program at school called Reading Plus. He and his buddy completed everything in the entire program. Out of thousands of students that use Reading Plus, they were the only 2 in the state that made it through the whole thing! His reading and comprehension level is high school level and I'm just so excited to see what he wants to learn about, because he truly can be a genius in any subject with his reading skills! Hunter doesn't love school, but he puts up with it without complaint. He does his chores without complaint. If I don't know where he is, I can usually find him in his room reading a book, playing DS, or outside squatting over ants with a magnifying glass. He also has an adventurous side! Last summer, we were at the lake and out of no where, he runs and jumps off a huge rock into the water! Well, naturally the rest of us had to do it too! I'm excited to ride some roller coasters with Hunter this summer.
Hunter is super sweet. He gives good hugs and is kind and gentle to little kids and animals. He is careful not to put people out and is courteous of people and their time and money. He went bowling in PE a few times this year, and he quietly brought his own money to pay for himself to go. He doesn't ask me to do things for him that often, so when he does, I know it is important to him and I accommodate it. It's usually, "Mom, will you take me to the library?" So he is pretty easy!
If I were to describe Mack in one word, it would be INTENSE. Everything he does is intense. He feels deeply and expresses himself fiercely. Even the way he writes is so interesting to watch. He grips his pencil so tightly and his strokes on paper are deliberate and forceful.
Mack loves deeply and has a super tender core. It is hard to remember that at times because of how he communicates somewhat gruffly on the surface. When my sister-in-law Natalie passed away, he cried for 45 minutes. He cried when my uncle Norman passed away, even though he'd only been around him a few times. He had prayed for uncle Norman every night while he was battling cancer. He prays every day for my brother Trent and his wife Kenzi to have a baby. He prays for my brother Matt to stay strong with not smoking. He prays for his grandparents, each one, that they can be healthy and get better from each of their different ailments. Mack prays for everyone he loves. It is the most amazing thing to be apart of. He and I have "hug prayers" by his bed every night. We kneel and hug while we each say our own personal prayers. He can out-pray me every time. I will finish and look at him, and he is still going strong. One time I got my stopwatch and timed him. 4 minutes. What 8-year-old (or grown up) prays for that long! It is just the sweetest thing.
Mack likes to be the center of attention and make people laugh. He loves playing with neighborhood kids, usually its our twin neighbor girls, and ride bikes, jump on the tramp, and just roam freely in the neighborhood bare-footed. I'm very curious what Mack will decide to do later in life as a career. He is brilliant and can figure out anything, but it has to be his idea.
Quinn is everyone's little sweetheart. She is delightful to be around, and gives the best hugs. Her personality matches her beautiful blue eyes; clean, innocent, pure, kind. I love watching her with her friends. She is a peacemaker and finds ways to include everyone and play fair. Everything she does is pretty much adorable! I kept her home from kindergarten this year and I am so glad I did. She has been a total free spirit this year, roaming about playing with her 2 best neigborhood pals Rachel and Madison. Quinn is super creative and is always cutting, taping, coloring and gluing paper, cardboard, string, beads, and fabric. She is very interested in sewing lately, and has made a bean bag and a skirt. Out of all my kids, I think she is the most like me. Or maybe she is the one I want to be like most. She is excited for kindergarten. She has a contagious laugh that sounds like happy music. Quinn loves babies and animals. She melts whenever she sees her 2 cats, Ray and Love. She always scoops up Ray and bounces him around and talks to him with a cutesy mommy voice. Quinn has asked me if she can have a baby sister or brother. I know she would just be the most darling and sweet big sister. But she is my baby. And that is why I got her the cats.
I cannot talk about my family without including my most fave person on Earth. Dax is the most amazing human and I scored so so hard when I found him. He is so patient and loving. He emits super good vibes. He gives amazing hugs. His hands are always warm but never sweaty. He does whatever I need him to do. He is a talented chef and cooks a lot of meals for us. He makes an effort to plan fun things for our family to do together. He is a big kid and loves to joke and laugh and keeps home life light and happy. He is excellent at reading people and gets along with everyone. He is brilliant and caring and strong and kind.
Happy summer! My goal is to connect with each person, each day. Focus on relationships and the time we have together. It is going to get chaotic at times. I'm going to ignore people at times and do my own thing. But I will wake up each day and decide to show up as my best self and be present for the people that I love most!
(photo credit: Jaclyn Gardner. All pictures belong to me. Please don't take photos from my blog without permission.)
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