It's a Blogger thing...

I have three older sisters, two of whom I am very close to. They are both somewhat older than me, by seven and nine years. On hot summer nights (before we had a/c), my oldest sister and I would lay on our mom's bed and "tickle back", drawing pictures or words and trying to guess what the other had "written". I have such vivid memories of laying in front of that box fan, trying to catch a cool breeze on our sweaty skin and stifling giggles so we wouldn't get kicked out and made to go into our own hot bedrooms. Michelle moved out when I was eight years old, and the tickle back sessions sadly came to an end. Until I passed on the tradition with my kids, making it a favorite bedtime activity. Last night, Isabel wanted to sleep in my bed for one last time before Daddy comes home (today). We were taking turns, each drawing three pictures, then three words, for the other to guess. Isabel is such an artist, and very detailed, so it is great to be on the receiving end of her artwork. After two sessions, I was running out of ideas, so I wrote B-L-O-G-G-E-R on Isabel's back. The girl guessed it right away! How many eight-year-olds know what "blogger" is? I cracked up laughing (everything is funnier at midnight, especially after a strawberry daiquiri), half expecting my mom to come in and tell me to go to my room. Except I am the mom now, and I was in my room, and it was okay (even great) to be having a bad case of the giggles with my oh,so adorable daughter. When we finally calmed down and decided to go to sleep, I thought to myself, "I have got to post that in the morning". So here I sit at 7:30am, with a quiet house, a cup of coffee and my laptop, the windows open to let in the cool morning breeze, so happy to be blogging away and reliving last night's little moment. I hope Isabel will remember these times, too (I'm sure she will...she is her mother's daughter).

She hates to smile with her teeth showing ("they're all crooked!), but I love to see her happy personality shine through in these pictures. Isabel is an extraordinary girl, and I wish you all could meet her. Mature beyond her years, kind, intelligent ("gifted", even), a good friend, and the best daughter you could ask for. What on earth did I do to be blessed with such an awesome kid? I think this is nothing but an evidence of God's grace, which I will gladly accept. With a big AMEN at the end.