My girls

[pegkerr]

Can I just brag a little bit on my girls? They are so cool. And good. And athletic. And interesting.

Delia is busy these days making jewelry and selling girl scout cookies, and playing cello, and being the kick-ass star in her karate class and getting ready to test for her black belt, and doing needlework (she knitted two feet of a scarf AND worked on a quilting square today) and baking bread and tumbling rocks in her rock tumbler. All while maintaining an A+ average at school.

Fiona is learning her forms so fast that she's working on the second degree forms already, just for fun. I watched her do a portion of the bo form, and she was so fast that she made my jaw drop. [Edited to add: She told me she was practicing a sequence from the fourth degree form, which, technically, she won't have to learn for the next ten years or so. She just thought it was cool and so picked it up.) She's soldering circuit boards on robots, and going to book clubs, and playing violin and complaining about Beethovan, and reading plays aloud and cracking silly jokes about Shakespeare, and getting ready to go to Mexico to work in an orphanage over her spring break. And making me lose the Game over and over again.

They are both gorgeous, but neither one has a single scrap of vanity. They are open and affectionate and wise and down-to-earth, and the police haven't been called to our house because of them even once.

Sometimes they drive me crazy, like when they turn their noses up at a perfectly adequate, nutritious and delicious dinner I've cooked, or when their room looks like a cyclone has gone through and dumped all their clothes on the floor.

But sometimes, they clean up the whole house and cook a beautiful dinner for me as a surprise, just because they know I've had a bad day.

Sometimes, like today, I stare at them in awe and wonder: how on earth did Rob and I produce these gorgeous goddess-like creatures?

Comments

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

They are indeed lovely, as your icon shows.

Also talented, bright, charming and energetic.

[savannahjan.livejournal.com]

You girls sound amazing! So accomplished! Congrats on raising some great kiddos.

(before you ask, I'm reading the embodiment friends page and saw you there. *smile*)

[barondave.livejournal.com]

Oh, feel good about bragging! It's the upside to many of the downsides...

...and we should talk about Closing Ceremonies sometime. Perhaps at the MN-StF meeting Sat? I have a few ideas.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Oh, we have ideas, too. *smirk* And I can give you a personal thank you for the CD you sent to me. I've been listening to it all day; it's WONDERFUL! Thank you!

[barondave.livejournal.com]

Great!

Glad you like the CD.

[aome.livejournal.com]

Of COURSE your girls are amazing! You and Rob are amazing parents. I am constantly impressed with the high level of culture you've raised them with, the lovely traditions you've instilled, the activities you enjoy together, and how much you all genuinely love each other, even during these difficult teen/pre-teen years. I only hope to do a tenth as well as you have. Their achievements are definitely something for anyone to be proud of. *applauds everyone*

[tinymich.livejournal.com]

I agree with aome -- they are amazing not only because you and Rob "produced" them, but also (and more importantly) because you raised them so well. :-)

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I can understand that. I know how much I felt I learned about parenting and how inspired I got by simply watching my older sister raise her own kids. It really does help to have parenting mentors to watch whom you think are doing a good job. And I'm glad that Rob and I can do that for you.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

Precious. I'm so glad you shared :)

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

They are amazing. And you have helped make them so.

[pinkfinity.livejournal.com]

Peg, what a fantastic update. Hugs to the girls from us, please.

[mangosong.livejournal.com]

I adore reading about your girls and they seem absolutely amazing -- I also have two girls (3 years apart) and I can only hope they turn out as well as yours. Given the day I just had with my oldest one, I'm not so hopeful at the moment... ;) Congratulations on your gorgeous, warm-hearted kids!

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Two daughters ARE fun, aren't they?

Even on the very bad days.

[knitmeapony.livejournal.com]

Huge reasons to be proud. Seriously. I had a lot of wonderful 'how did they get so cool' friends in high school, thanks to my gifted class track, and they all had one thing in common: terrific parents, the ones that let them explore, come to my house, have me over, knew my name and my parents' names.

So much of it is you and Rob's good parenting, how much you worry and the way you react when they drive you crazy. Take some kudos for them. You deserve it.

[corinnethewise.livejournal.com]

Your girls are totally amazing. I wish I had been that cool when I was their age. I am especially envious of the karate skills. I have no athletic abilities whatsoever and am painfully attempting to get some. ::sigh:: But yeah, your girls are awesome (which probably has something to do with the awesomeness of their parents).

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

Wonderful. And terrifying (the responsibility to keep them that way as they continue through adolescence, the need to walk such a fine line between protecting and letting them fly). And mostly wonderful.

I suspect the karate has / will help a lot with all the terrifying parts, too. Easier not to be either vain about peripherals or senselessly down on oneself where there's so much real achievement to be justly proud of, and probably comforting for you to know they have both the discipline to achieve and the ability to protect themselves in many situations.