Growing Like Weeds...

Even though the days often feel long, and the weeks seems to pass slowly, time is definately ticking right on by. One way we can tell this is by looking at our ever growing children! It amazes me how they are growing and changing all the time as we are entering new phases and stages of life with these two.

Payton is in the 5th grade and is as tall as I am now at 10 years old! We are perfectly even standing back to back.  It is just a matter of time until I will be looking up to her as she passes me by.  She is an amazing student that does well in school, but also a kind friend that looks out for others.  We have moved into the stage of shaving and makeup (no I don't let her wear any, even though she wants to, she just plays in it when we are at home), and cell phones of course, even though she doesn't have one of those either.  She asks for one almost daily.  Music is always blaring from her i-pod touch, and her own fashion and style is certainly coming into play.  We are no longer in kids sizes, but have moved on now to junior's and women's, which makes shopping modestly even more difficult.  She is an amazing, one-of-a-kind young woman and we wouldn't trade her for the world. 

Chilln' at the beach!

Many of our friends have younger children, so when we get together you can always count on Payton to help tend to the little ones.  She is a little momma for sure, and she wouldn't have it any other way.  Oh, and the kids love her.  The will do just about whatever she proposes. 

Glamourous!

She loves the lake!

She loves Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.  Thanks to Aunt Brookie and Uncle Russ, Payton will be attending her first concert this summer when she get to go see Taylor Swift!  She is jacked!

Payton and her friend at Halloween.



She is also an amazing big sister, who shows tremendous patience with an often pesky little brother!

She is ALWAYS cheerleading, whether at school or at home.  Even in the stores as we shop, she is doing the moves to some sort of cheer!

She is a recent softball player.  Currently on her second season, learning more and more about the game all the time.  Her legs look LONG in her uniform, and her batting stance is quite intimidating!

Payton and I have had a very special year this school year because I am the teaching assistant for her grade level.  This has created a very unique relationship between us as I have a front row seat to her day to day life in the classroom and the lunchroom.  She loves it and thinks it is great that I am there everyday, and for that I am truly thankful. 

It has been an interesting year this year, as friendships begin to change and everyday is not the best day ever.  But coming from hard days and good days alike, we have had some extremely rich conversations about relationships, friendships, material things, and where God fits into it all. 

Some days are great...all her friends want to sit by her at lunch and she is the center of her little group.  Other days are not so fortunate.  There is nothing more painful for a mom, than to be on lunch duty and watch your child sit down the table by herself, away from her friends, because she is upset about something that has happened that day or something that is going on between her and her friends.  I have to bite my tongue and do my job, but at the end of the day I know it has happened and can ask her about it.  We can discuss the true character of people, and how important it is to surround yourself with friends who are like you in character and beliefs.  We can also talk about what could have been done differently in situations, or how she could have communicated better with her friends.  I can whisper truth in her ear in between classes when a friend has hurt her feeling and she is sad.  What an awesome priviledge I have had this year as we have been together daily.  Oh, how I will treasure this year forever. 

Payton struggles sometimes with what others are allowed to have and do and why we draw stricter guidelines and boundaries than many of those around her.   But I am blessed to say that we have a very open relationship where she will come to me with her frustrations, we talk it out, and then she listen to my reasoning of why we are choosing to wait on certain things, and usually she gets it afterwards, and accepts the boundaries that we place in her life.  Can you tell I have a heart for my girl?

Look at these legs...

Like Payton's legs, this post has ended up being a LONG one, and we still haven't even discussed Eli!  I told you we have some catching up to do!

I think I am going to bed now, and will have to update about Eli in another post on another day...SOON!