New School Year, New School!

It's a cliche, I know, but it's so oft repeated because it's so true: the older you get, the faster it goes. This year has gone by so incredibly quickly; before I knew it, another school year was upon us. Summer fun was done, school supplies were purchased, and lunch menu calendars were taped to the inside of the pantry.

Calendars, plural, because this year, Caroline entered middle school. Middle school!! My big girl is a fifth grader which, here in the Fayetteville Public School District, means middle school. She was so excited to have graduated from Holcomb Elementary; periodically throughout the summer, the subject of school would come up and it was always met with enthusiasm from my eldest child. The primary source of excitement? The locker. Good thing we're focused on what's important.

I remember, though, that it's all important at that age. You hit middle school, and the peer pressure accelerates. The desire to fit in is amplified and multiplied by six - as in, you now have six class periods with slightly different peer groups in each, and the need to adjust throughout the day a new skill to learn. Apparently, the locker decorating is part of the language of fifth grade girls, so we happily provided Caroline with the basics of a dry erase board, magnets and a mirror for her locker. Sorry, but I had to draw a line at the tiny faux chandelier. I'm cool, but I'm not THAT cool.

John, on the other hand, was back to Holcomb Elementary. Third grade is a big year - multiplication, division, cursive handwriting. We were delighted to learn that he has the same teacher Caroline had in third grade, so we know we're in for a great year. The biggest difference for John this year is that he's at school without his big sister. In fact, based on the way they divide the grades between elementary, middle, junior high, and high school, it will be six years before they're back on the same campus, and then as a freshman and junior in high school.

I can't think about that right now.

Instead, I'll focus on the fun they'll have as third and fifth graders, on the things they'll learn, the friends they'll make, and field trips they'll take. I'll try to ask the right questions at the dinner table so that I hear more about their day than it was "fine" and a recap of what was for lunch. So far, so good - two months in and we still look forward to going to school each morning!

The Abbotts come to Arkansas

Haven't had a chance to write much lately as I've had a busy work week and last weekend we had company. Not just any company- the best kind, my sister and her family!

As much as I love my sister - and I love her fiercely - the big attraction here is my super adorable niece Claire. Toddlers are natural comedians, and at two and a half, she's officially entered the "interesting little person" phase.

It was a beautiful weekend as fall weekends in Arkansas tend to be, and we did our best to take advantage of the sunshine. Friday was an at-home day for everyone but me (work!) so it was mostly hanging out, swinging in the back yard, and the midday nap that is a standard part of every toddler's routine. Actually, that was a part of the routine I'd kind of forgotten about - along with the twenty-minutes-to-get-out-the-door part of the routine. Being a toddler parent is hard, y'all, but the good news is that just a few years out of this age, you apparently don't remember the hard parts very clearly!

Around here, Saturday mornings in the fall start with soccer, so we all trooped over to the Lewis Soccer Fields, chairs, blanket, diaper bag, snacks and water bottle in hand. In a quirk of timing, it happened to be A&M/Arkansas football weekend. Susannah is a legit Aggie, and I and my kids have adopted Old Army, and we showed up in our maroon and white despite being smack dab in the heart of Razorback Country. Bold choice!

As precious as Claire is, I think my own kids are pretty darn cute, too! Caroline at the soccer game:

And ohmygoodness, my little man is getting so big. And so handsome.

John has such a tender heart and loves his little cousin. She loves him right back; all weekend long, I heard a lot of "hey John! Hey John!" and "where's John?" from the tiny little toddler voice. He is so patient with her, playing together in the playroom and then out in the sandbox for a while, too.

Their visit last year was on a similarly beautiful weekend which meant enjoying the sunshine. I happened to snap a really great picture of Susannah with all of the kids out on the front lawn last year, one of those iPhone pictures that you look at and wonder how you got so lucky. We tried again, recreating the scene and capturing smiles across the board again this year.

The big event of the day was mini golf - I guess Susannah had mentioned going for a round to John and once you say something like that, you know you have to make it happen! You never know how things will go with a tiny little person, but it ended up being so much fun for everyone.

Pretty sure Claire is a natural!

I was a bit behind as we finished up the round; as I walked toward the 17th hole, I heard John whooping from down below me on the 18th green. Big man got a hole in one on the final hole!! I'm pretty sure it's a universal rule in putt putt - a hole in one on the last hole equals a free round. Kiddo was grinning ear to ear!

There wasn't any big-deal event or major effort to manufacture fun last weekend; the awesome thing about my sister is that when she comes to visit, she's cool with just hanging out. Seeing the kids spend time together, hanging out just talking is totally our kind of fun. Of course, fall weekends are also football weekends, so it didn't hurt that we got to yell for the Aggies from the comfort of the couch. If you were watching, then you know the game went into overtime, with us nearly hyperventilating until the guys in maroon and white finally put it away.

Like most visits, it went by too fast and ended too soon. Sunday afternoon came and Susannah, Justin and Claire headed back home to Houston. Life is super busy, and seems to accelerate with each passing day. Last weekend was a chance to capture those fleeting moments.

On My Honor, I Will Try

Scouting is pretty big in our area for both boys and girls, and though I didn't stick with it for very many years myself, I think Girl Scouts is a fantastic organization that has so much to offer. The local council had an open house type of day that we attended last year, and Caroline had enough fun that she decided she definitely wanted to give it a try.

The 2014 fall semester kicked off with plenty of activities as the girls chose the badges they wanted to work on, not to mention all of the fun activities and patches they would earn for those! I'm a real to-do list kind of person, someone who does best when I have one or more tangible goals that I'm working toward. I loved hearing about the steps the girls were taking toward earning badges, and then watching Caroline learn so much along the way. There was the visit to the fire station, Trunk or Treat at the local Kappa Delta sorority house, caroling at the local nursing home, and volunteering at the local animal shelter where I successfully fended off yet another round of, "when can we get a dog???"

Caroline's favorite thing may have been the archery event in the fall! I'd heard all about archery from her PE classes, and she enthusiastically signed up when Girl Scouts had a class. Man, was I impressed! That kid really knows how to handle a bow and arrow! Over the holidays, she also completed her cooking badge together with Grandmommy May who helped her prepare a two meals, mostly by herself.

As we transitioned into the new year, it was officially Girl Scout cookie time!! I remember going door to door myself, ringing doorbells with my sister in our neighborhood working to hit a certain level to earn either a badge, recognition, or some other type of reward. The cookie kickoff meeting for Caroline's troop had inspired her with the potential to earn cookie cash toward Girl Scout camp - specifically, horse camp. What a great goal, right? Until she explained she needed to sell over 500 boxes of cookies to achieve her goal. WHOA. I'm all for aiming high and giving yourself a stretch goal, but that sure seemed like a lot to me.

Man, did Caroline ever prove me to have underestimated her. She put a plan together, stayed focused on her goal, and worked so hard to sell those cookies! She got her sales pitch down pat, including the one that kept convincing me to go out with her on weekends and her little brother to join her on weekdays when she got home from school. Cold weather, warm weather, didn't matter; she was determined to achieve her goal. School snow day? Just a great opportunity to deliver the goods!

Once the individual sales were done, there was still the opportunity to sell more boxes by participating in the troop booth events. Rain? No problem! My kiddo was a super trooper, enthusiastically manning the booths, talking to customers, making change, and selling those cookies. In the end, Caroline slightly surpassed her goal and did earn that cookie cash toward summer camp. So proud of her!

The weather finally warmed up, we approached the end of the school year, and the troop began planning their first camping trip. Now we're talking! The outdoor stuff is right in my wheelhouse; this is where I could be the mom who happily volunteers! As it was the first time for the troop to go camping together, the plan was to ease them into it with a campsite that had a building fully equipped with electricity, bathrooms, even a kitchen. The goal was to have them sleeping in tents, but who knew how it would go. We arrived at a beautiful campsite not too far from home and began setting up the tents. The gear got unpacked from the cars, and the troop threw themselves into helping the adults set up the tents.

Kristin, our troop leader, was a Girl Scout all the way through high school, and she is awesome. She had spent hours in prep for the trip, and quickly had the campsite set up with a wash station; campfire supplies; and food prep stations. We set the girls to work looking for firewood to get the fire going, and off they tromped on their mission. The traditional foil bag meal was so much fun for the girls to put together, cooked on the fire they had helped build and maintain. I saw first hand the confidence that empowerment can build in little girls, as they learned and tried new things.

After s'mores, stories and jokes around the fire, it was time to get the girls ready for bed. Always easier said than done on a regular night at home, it was mass giggling and procrastinating until we finally got everyone into their sleeping bags and in the tents. I sometimes say that discretion is the better part of valor; into the tent was success. Whether they stopped talking and laughing and finally went to sleep was a bridge too far. The moms all went back inside, where we spent a mostly pleasant night.

Breakfast the next morning was a learning experience for me, too. Kristin has plenty of camping experience, and I was introduced to dutch oven cooking over a campfire! Between the fruit cobbler (hey, it was fruit) in the dutch oven and the eggs in the skillet, it opened my eyes to a whole new way to camp. A morning hike later, we were breaking down the tents and heading back home. The girls all had a fantastic time, and despite my avowal that my camping days were over when my Army days ended, so did I. Next time, I'm even ready to give the tent a chance!

With summer upon us, the troop meetings were on hiatus, but Caroline used her hard-earned cookie cash and began making plans to attend camp. After reading the brochure on all of the camp options, she changed her mind on attending horse camp - not enough actual riding of the horse - and opted instead for the camp themed Ship Wrecked! My kid? Opting into a castaway / survivor camp? To my shock, she was adamant that was the one she wanted to do, and despite my misgivings, far be it from me to talk her out of it. In June, we got her bags packed and headed off to Camp Cahinnio for a week of fun with other Girl Scouts.

Caroline was super excited, even after seeing the platform tents and the outdoor bathrooms! After helping get her bunk area set up, I gave her a big hug and headed home. Over the course of the week, it hit me that as good as it was for Caroline to learn to be away from home, it was equally important for me as a parent to begin learning how to let go. There was no email, no internet, no cell phone connection to Caroline that week. I didn't know at any given time what she was doing, whether she was having fun, how she was getting along with the other girls. It was harder than I expected, but how much harder will it be when she's 18 and leaving for college if I don't learn in baby steps along the way? By Friday when it was time to pick her up, I was both excited and anxious, hoping she'd had a ton of fun, made friends, and learned some cool new stuff along the way.

I needn't have worried; when we arrived, she was in the pool having a blast! When your child's first words are "I don't want to leave!" followed quickly by "Can I come again next year?", you have that parenting moment where you feel like you're winning. What a fantastic lesson Caroline learned about setting and achieving goals, and then what a blessing that the ultimate objective of attending camp turned out to be even more fun than she had imagined.

As we start a new year, our troop has a new look, combining with a couple of other troops at the school. We have a new co-leader who has been doing this for several years, and there is now a group of older girls that Caroline and her troopmates will be able to look up to. We had our kickoff picnic a couple of weeks ago, and our first troop meeting this past Sunday. Caroline's Junior vest is looking sharp with all of the badges and patches she earned in her first year!

I hope to get more involved this year; I've told Kristin before, while I don't want to lead the troop, I am happy to do whatever it takes to support her so that she wants to continue leading! I plan to help the girls earn their First Aid badge, and we're already working on our first fall camping trip. I think this year will be the girls' opportunity to step up a little bit more and make more decisions on what they want to do vs. the adults telling them what they'll work on.

While Girl Scouts is very much about building skills and self-confidence, it has also helped me see that my daughter is capable of so much when given the chance to try. It's helped me raise my expectations where appropriate as well as trust her to try things on her own. It's exciting to see her grow as an individual and, as importantly, as a part of a group. Here's to another year of Caroline discovering what she's capable of when she works together with her friends, sets goals, develops a plan, and achieves extraordinary things!

Friday Feature: Puzzle Piece

As a mom, I've realized that there are so many things about your children that "just are," despite the assumption that you're guiding, molding, and teaching them in all that they do. This week, Caroline brought home some art that I inferred was a part of a bigger masterpiece, a way to show that every child in her class is unique but still fits in and is an important part of the whole.

Just another reminder that my sweet, sensitive, thoughtful daughter who sometimes mystifies me because she's so different than I am is a beautiful individual, and our family would be missing a piece without her. 

Friday Feature: Student of the Month

This school year has been going very well for both kids. They both love GT; they have teachers who inspire and excite them; and we've received only good behavior reports from their classrooms.

That's really no surprise for Caroline but this week, she was recognized for going above and beyond. Way to go, kiddo!!

Friday Feature: goals for the school year

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree; to start out this school year, Justin had the kids write out ten goals for the year ahead. Amazingly, the results were almost 100% their ideas, with just a little bit of help from Daddy to articulate them more clearly.

I believe in the power of writing goals down, and in posting them where you can see them frequently. These goals hang on the wall in the kiddos' rooms, so that they can see them every day - and maybe as importantly, I can see them every evening. I'll help them meet their goals where I can, but I'm excited about a year where they might better understand the link between effort and results.

Here's to achieving the goals we've set before us!

Rites of Summer: fun with Fayetteville Parks and Rec

Ah, summer. Lazy days and carefree, unstructured play.

Unless you're a Coussoule kid. 

We don't intend to structure every moment of every day, and there certainly have been hours of Lego playing and American Girl Doll school and riding bikes in the neighborhood. But there have also been camps and scheduled activities to help the kids make the most of the summer break. 

Like a countless number of kids across America, swim lessons were a part of our plans in June. Both kids love the pool, but neither have had formal instruction since Caroline took swim lessons not long after we first moved to Fayetteville. She progressed quickly, and at one point could swim all four strokes with some level of proper form and technique.

John, on the other hand, has been anti-swim lessons every summer we've mentioned them. In a "pick your parenting battles" moment, each time we acquiesced to his disinterest and didn't enroll him anywhere for lessons. This year, though, we didn't ask his opinion - it was time to learn to swim at least the front crawl well enough to pass swim tests. No more not being able to go off the diving board or down the slide; time for John to join the ranks of swimmers.

The easy answer appeared to be the Fayetteville Parks and Rec swim lessons - two weeks, one hour each evening, municipal pool close enough that the back and forth was no problem. I managed to make it to one of the first lessons; we walked in to the newly renovated Wilson Pool house, and both kids were super excited to be in the pool:

I only got to go to a couple of the lessons, but if either of the days I was there were any indication, there was an awful lot of playing, not so much with the actual teaching and learning. The kids loved swim lessons, of course - plenty of time to go off the diving boards and down the slides:

Despite there being far less instruction than we had hoped, both kids had a great time, looking forward to swim lessons each night. As it turned out, John improved enough to swim sufficiently to get to the ladder from the bottom of both the slide and the diving board, so I suppose we should call it a success!

Among the eight camp options offered by the City, the next one we took advantage of was the annual Tennis Camp. The kids have continued to take weekly lessons at a local racquet club, but a week of three hour sessions seemed like too good of an opportunity to miss.

Caroline had grumbled pretty continuously for weeks about tennis camp; she doesn't really look forward to lessons, but Justin and I are both adamant that she play at least one sport. We like having the kids in tennis, because as a lifetime sport, it's something they can hopefully do for years to come. I finally had enough a week or so before camp started with Caroline's complaining - given that I didn't have a single thought as a kid of doing something like tennis camp, her ungrateful whining finally got on my last nerve and I told her to put a sock in it.

Last Sunday night after I put the kids to bed, as I was walking out of Caroline's room, I heard some very quiet sniffling coming from her pillow. I walked back in and found her crying; further questioning revealed that she was really anxious about tennis camp. All of her grumbling had been a facade; she was completely stressed out that she would be the worst one in camp; that all of the other kids would make fun of her; and that she would be embarrassed the whole time. I did my best to reassure her, telling her that as long as she 1) did her best, 2) listened to the coaches, and 3) had fun (the Coussoule Rules), she would be fine. Besides, there would be kids there that might not have ever played before, so she shouldn't worry.

Easy for Mommy to say; all the reassuring in the world, though, could only go so far in the anxious eight year old mind of my little girl. The next morning, I juggled my schedule so that I could do Day One drop off, encouraging both of them - but especially Caroline - as we headed to Wilson Park. I took a few pictures before having to leave, reminding them both to 1-2-3 Do their best, Listen to the coaches, and Have fun, and everything would be just fine.

The fears of teasing and humiliation were blessedly unfounded; we learned from the reports over dinner on the first day that they had both loved camp, and that Caroline was actually one of the "better" players in camp. As the week went on and we heard each day's recap, we realized that like swim lessons, this was more about "fun" and not so much about "learning." The change in Caroline's attitude toward tennis, though, overcame any irritation I may have had that they didn't seem to progress beyond their ability at the start of camp. Besides, it got them active and outside for a few hours each day, and even if it meant a bunch of games, there couldn't be any harm in having a racquet in their hands each day.

The best part of camp was hard to pin down; most days, it was "jail break," one of the games they played. On Friday, I think it was probably snack - who doesn't love a popsicle on a hot July day?

July 4th was the last day of camp, and thanks to the holiday, I was able to go and watch the grand finale.

Tennis Camp Graduates 2014

In true Parks and Rec form, the last day was only an hour and a half; the last ninety minutes were to be in the pool. At this point, I'm over it - I joined in, got some sun, and loved watching the kids have a great time with their friends. When it comes time to go back to school and the question "What did you do this summer?" hangs in the air, my kids will have plenty of options for how to answer.

Friday Feature: Science on a Shoestring

One of the second semester modules in Caroline's GT Class this year was called "Science on a Shoestring." She really enjoyed it, to the point that we talked about maybe someday being both an ornithologist AND an electrical engineer!

Their capstone project was to build either a series or a parallel circuit with materials that clearly explain the module's Science on a Shoestring title: a shirt box top, masking tape, brads, and aluminum foil. The design was up to each individual, and I love Caroline's choice!

Check out how her engineering comes to life in this video:

Caroline's Got (age-appropriate) Talent

This evening was the annual Holcomb Elementary 3rd and 4th grade talent show, and my big 3rd grader made her debut! Thanks to long-distance piano lessons with Grandmommy May, Caroline was able to perform one of the pieces she's been working on this year at both the afternoon and evening performances.

I thought back to my own elementary school days and a faint memory of a talent show; if I remember correctly, I performed a lip sync instead of playing the piano, to (I'm sure) my mother's eternal frustration and disappointment. Not only did I demand to be allowed to lip sync, but I chose a song by *gasp* Madonna, and of all songs, I chose *what-was-I-thinking* "Like A Virgin." In fact, my 4th grade teacher, Ms. McCray (who I always thought was super cool because she was young and fun to my 10 year old eyes) let me borrow one of her prom dresses so that I was in full costume.

As an aside, I'm not sure whether color commentary is more appropriate for me or for Ms. McCray on my being able to wear her prom dress at the age of 10.

Regardless, as I watched the show tonight that included a couple of gyrating, booty-shaking dance routines to current popular music that were suspect in their appropriateness for 3rd and 4th graders, I finally understood how mortified my own mom must have been all those years ago. Lip syncing Madonna, as a 4th grader? Could it get any more inappropriate? Not to mention, it was common knowledge that my mom was a piano teacher. Her own daughter didn't have a piano piece to play at the talent show?

I'm sure it wasn't for lack of something to play; it was the earliest stages of the rebellion of a daughter who insisted on being her own person; choosing her own path; defining her own self in large part by highlighting how she was different. You can't possibly know the hassle and frustration and occasional disappointment of being a mother to a headstrong daughter until you have your own, and I'm just starting to see that side of motherhood.

So Mom, I want you to know, tonight was kind of a do-over for you. Caroline was so courageous, getting up in front of all of her peers today and then again in front of their families tonight. She had poise and determination, and she played beautifully. Not once did she fight me on the suggestion to play the piano for the talent show. I was so proud of her tonight, and I know you would have been too.

Second time was the charm.

Friday Feature: Where We Live

Today's feature, not to be confused with "You live where?", is all about Caroline's third grade social studies unit on Arkansas history. Of course, I grew up learning Texas history - the Alamo, Davie Crockett, being an independent nation, and having the true Texas pride that all of us from the Lone Star State proudly share.


Like all Texans, I have a natural bias for the superiority of my state - 21 years after moving away to go to college with only a 9 month stint of living back home at Ft. Hood, I still strongly identify myself as a Texan, and I'm sure I always will. Lucky for me, my kids have inherited this sense of pride in being at least an honorary Texan, and I hold out hope that someday, we'll all get back home to bluebonnets, cowboy boots and pickup trucks.


In the meantime, though, I feel almost as blessed to be an Arkansan (pronounced Ar-KAN-san for those who, like me, couldn't quite get the syllabic emphasis right the first few times I tried it) as I do to be a Texan. The Natural State is full of wonderful people, the living is easy, and it comes by its name honestly from the beauty of the area. So while my kids aren't going to learn Texas history in school, they will learn all about Arkansas, and this week, Caroline brought home the brochure she created in class:

I added the fireworks... but it kind of feels like she earned them :)

Friday Feature: My Future Scientist

I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again, maybe a thousand times: my kids can be anything they want to be when they grow up.

As long as it's a scientist or engineer.

I've been delighted with Caroline's recent stories about what they're learning in GT. Most recently, she came home totally enthused about an experiment in circuitry that involved C batteries; aluminum foil; and a light bulb. She was the first one in her class to get the light bulb to light up, and I've taken to calling her my little Electrical Engineer.

Today, some other GT work came home, and I feel like I may need to alternate between giving her Juice props and encouraging a field that mostly eluded me in my academic career: Chemistry.

The GT unit they've spent several weeks on is called "Science on a Shoestring," but it has included some pretty advanced topics, including an overview of the periodic table. Chemistry was never my strong suit. Physics? No problem. Chemistry? Never could get those equations to balance quite right. So I'm pretty excited that it's been introduced in third grade, and far more excited that Caroline is so interested in it.

Part of the unit was learning about famous scientists, and you can see here that Caroline chose Marie Curie:

We stand on the shoulders of giants, the women of the 21st century. I hope that Caroline is inspired to someday join their ranks.

Friday Feature: Neptune and its Moons

Caroline recently brought home an assignment to create a model of one of the planets, due the Monday after Spring Break. She got to choose her own planet, and she picked Neptune. It wasn't an uneducated decision; our kids are pretty into space, and we've read several books and watched a lot of Science Channel shows about the universe.

I was just glad we weren't going to have to paint the Great Red Spot or figure out how to do Saturn's rings.

When I read the assignment, for whatever reason, I inferred that each child in the class would create a model that would then be incorporated into a larger class project. Translation: paint a styrofoam ball blue, and you're good.

And you now have an idea of why I never won any awards for science fair.

Thankfully, Daddy had a better idea of what was required, so last Saturday we trooped off to Hobby Lobby to get supplies for the model. We returned home with styrofoam balls; three colors of acrylic paint; a wire wreath frame for rings (did you know Neptune has rings??); dowel rods; a wooden base for the stand; a mini-tripanel for the background; star stickers; planet cut outs; and a tiny model of Voyager 2, all in the name of accuracy.

The thing is, I'm a firm believer that kids need to do their own projects. This one was going to be a little bit beyond Caroline in some ways (i.e., I don't think having her drill a hole in the wooden base was a good idea), but in everything possible, the work was on her.

Something that I've come to appreciate is a true skill, and one not yet developed in 3rd graders, is the ability to backwards plan. Caroline knew the model was due Monday, but being able to consider all of the steps required to complete it; assess how much time each step would take; and then create the timeline for completion probably would've taken as much time as the project itself. Easy answer: get started on Sunday.

Lots of painting... and using the iPad to figure out what the 14 moons look like

First, painting the planet - Neptune is basically just blue. An Ice Giant, Caroline told me, way out there in the outer part of the solar system where everything is frozen. Turns out Neptune has clouds and its own spot, too, but not as colorfully dramatic as Jupiter's. It took a few coats of blue before Caroline could get to the clouds and the spot, but she did all of it herself.

Then there were the moons - fourteen of them. Who knew? And this is where I was blown away - she did every single one of them herself, using the iPad to find images on NASA's website, mixing colors and using the scissors to make craters. She worked so hard to get them as true to life as possible, without any help at all from me or Justin. So proud of that kid!

After a few days of painting, waiting for moons to dry, putting another coat of blue on Neptune, then finally getting the clouds and the spot on there, the model was ready for assembly. Daddy did help with this part, but my big kid did almost everything herself.

I am so impressed with how it came out - considering my expectation was a styrofoam ball painted blue, this project  is definitely an A+ in my book!

Friday Feature: Caroline's birthday card for Daddy

Justin had a birthday this week, and of all the nice cards he got, I'm going to guess that this one was his favorite:

On the inside:

It's hard to think of a better message in a card than an unqualified declaration of love to follow the front cover stating Daddy's galactic awesomeness. 

Added bonus: Cra-Z-Loom key chains to go with each reason he's the BEST!! The ladder keychain; the glow in the dark keychain; and the keychain with extra clips. 

Beat that, Hallmark!

Friday Feature: Religious Ed

Caroline has such a wonderful heart, and she is growing to be a Godly and faithful young lady. She truly has the faith of a child, and it is a blessing as a parent to see that every day. She looks forward to religious education every Sunday morning, and now that she's in 3rd grade, there aren't many crafts that come home from class. This past week, though, she proudly showed us what she made in class:

I think along with Bible verses, we'll incorporate memorizing the books of the Bible into our Coussoule curriculum this summer. I always loved Bible verse drills in Vacation Bible School, and given John's competitive nature, maybe that will get him as excited about the Word as Caroline already is.

Ready, set, Joshua 1:9!

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Friday Feature: Caroline's GT Showcase

I'm behind on some of the family adventures - Caroline had a big week a couple of weeks ago, with a school choir program and then a district-wide showcase of the work by the Gifted and Talented (GT) classes.

Caroline is an excellent student, but hands down, GT is her favorite part of school. She looks forward to Wednesdays and Thursdays with enthusiasm unmatched by any other subject, and sings Ms. Murphy's praises on a regular basis. I share her excitement for the program; it challenges her, the curriculum includes subjects that would never be part of the common core, and she clearly feels more comfortable in that environment than in her regular classroom. If it weren't for GT, my 8 year old would not yet know her professional path in life; instead, thanks to a unit last year, she has already firmly established that she wants to be an ornithologist when she grows up. I'll contact Cornell in a couple of years about financial aid.

As for the here and now, this year has included an interesting unit on ancient civilizations. We headed over to the newest elementary school in town for the showcase, guided by the highly knowledgeable midgeroo:

Caroline learned to write her name in cuneiform; learned about the ancient Mesopotamians; and helped assemble a time capsule for future civilizations to know what life in NW Arkansas in 2014 was like.

Mesopotamian cylinder seal with Caroline's initials and a Greek pot with Greek letters

Drawing of an Egyptian with heiroglyphics

The Time Capsule for 2014 Arkansas

We've been happy with our local school district, and our kids have been fortunate to have good teachers. Ms. Murphy, though, really has made a difference for Caroline in school. I'm so grateful that she's helped her bloom and grow.

Love is a many splendored thing

Tomorrow is the big day where we all declare our love for the ones who most make our hearts go pitter patter. I will join the ranks of millions of Americans who will give cards, hugs, and kisses to the wonderful man I married and to the two little people who fill my heart.

What struck me today as I thought about Valentine's Day, though, is that I am the recipient of more love than I could possibly return in a lifetime. Love truly is a many splendored thing - Christians know that in the Bible, the English word "love" appears consistently throughout the text, but is translated from more than one Greek word for the sentiment. The love in my life is like that, too. One word could never capture all of the ways I am loved.

I have known my entire life that I am fully, wholly, and unconditionally loved by my two amazing parents. With the lens of now being a parent myself, I look back at my adolescence and wonder at the fact that not only do my parents love me, I think they like me, too. My mom and dad taught me everything I know about loving families, and I love them both more than words can say.

My parents also gave me two of the greatest gifts in my life - my sister and brother. Not everyone is so lucky as me, having siblings who you yearn to spend time with, and if life allowed, you'd move next door to. We certainly had our fair share of sibling fights; we were the world's most normal kids, on each other's last nerves on a regular basis. As adults, though, I've grown to realize that there truly is no love like that of a sister or a brother. It isn't just a greeting on a Hallmark card; they truly know me and my heart better than any friend ever could. They love me in spite of my failings; they love me because of my failings.

Philos - the love from friends. How could I possibly recount all of the ways my friends have picked me up, carried me along, and let me lean on them over the years? The filial love of friends changes over time - in part because some friends come and some friends go. I'm learning, though, that the friends that stick - especially my West Point classmates - that love changes, too. We grow; we mature; we understand that life is not an eternal competition between us. Sadly, for the women of my class, loss has drawn us closer together in the last year. More than ever, this year when I think of the love of friends, I realize there is a deep and abiding love that we are only now beginning to recognize for the source of strength it is.

Closer to home, I rely on the steady, ever-present of the love of my new friends here in Arkansas. They've taught me that the length of time you've been acquainted has nothing to do with the depth or strength of the love they can give. I am so blessed that I have friends here and in the other places I've called home that fill my life with the love only a friend can give.

Then, there's home itself. My two little people, Caroline and John. The innocent love of children, the sheer joy of knowing that they love me not for what I do, whether I'm popular, or how much money I have. They love me because I am their mother. There are a million reasons people can name for why having children is a blessing, but for me, the unconditional love will always be the biggest wonder of motherhood.

My dad told me on my wedding day that no matter how much I thought I loved Justin, it paled in comparison to how much I would love him in the years to come. Almost 13 years later, I truly do understand and agree with him, but realize that surely, that will be more true 13 years from now, and again 13 years after that. My husband, in his quiet, steady way, shows me every day how much he loves me. Sometimes it's obvious in the words he says to me, the kindness he shows me, the things he does for me. Just as often, he loves me by loving our children. When you begin the journey of marriage, you can't possibly fathom the infinite love it will bring.

On the days where I feel buffeted and crushed by the weight of responsibility and expectations every adult feels, I need to reflect on the richness of the love in my life. Tomorrow I'll use words, cards, and small gifts to show my love. I hope every other day of the year, I'll be a reflection of the love others give to me.

Friday Feature: Caroline's new craft

Christmas brought many new clothes and toys, one from Santa that was a big hit: the Cra-Z-loom. If you haven't seen the rubber band bracelets sweeping the nation, then you must not know many 8 or 9 year olds. They're EVERYWHERE.

With her new loom, Caroline has become quite the expert in rubber-band-bracelet-making:

She discovered several YouTube instructional videos, and has tried her hand at multiple versions of bracelets.

So, naturally, the plan this weekend is for her to make her own video. Looks like Caroline is going to get a crash course in iMovie this weekend!