Wait

Growing pains are hard. We've had a couple of disappointments in our household the last several days. Some experiences are inevitable but I do try to protect my children from disappointment as much as possible. They still experience it, I just don't want them to be subjected to it unnecessarily. They are good kids and don't ask us for much. I don't exactly know where that comes from, maybe just an understanding that we will give them opportunities but not at the expense of our family. So, here's what happened.

Story #1: I broke my own rule. I excitedly registered Olivia for an art class that was to start in a couple of weeks. Registering online was easy and, against my usual policy, I couldn't wait to tell her about it before I got the confirmation email. She was thrilled, moreso when I told her that one of her little friends would be in the class with her. Fast forward to the next day when I received an email stating that both the class and the waiting list for said class is full. Ugh. Sinking pit-of-stomach feeling. Several emails and phone calls later, this class is just not going to happen. Break it to Olivia that I can still get her into a class but it will be in May, not March, and it is not the one her friend is registered in. Disappointment. I don't blame her, but it still hurt. I wanted to surprise her with something fun and interesting and I kind of blew it by telling her about it prematurely. She came around, is still excited about the class, and my friend is going to move her daughter to the later session. See, it all worked out, but there was still some pain in the process.

Story #2: Noah was invited by the neighbour boy to go with his family to play laser tag. We had already made some tentative outdoor plans for Gary and the kids to meet up with another dad and kids to skate. We told Noah to go and, if he was back in time, he could still go skating. Well, Gary left with the girls 5 minutes before Noah's return. Gary forgot the cell phone. The skating park they went to is too far of a walk. We have just one vehicle. A disappointed Noah was not appeased by me pointing out that he already had the opportunity to do something fun. He wanted to do both. His 9-year-old brain does not process logic the same way mine does. He was good about it, but disappointed and sad. He felt left out. He didn't let it ruin his day, but he didn't exactly brush it off either.

As you can see from the above pic, there is all kind of growth happening around here. Sometimes I have growing pains as I think of how quickly these short people are growing and changing. The journaling reads:

Could you just maybe slow it down a little? I'm not ready for what I see in this photo. See, it's you, only...you look...well, a bit big to be my tiny little Sophie. You're still such a busy girl, always touching stuff, pretty noisy, you cry a fair bit. But...here is this concentration, this girl with something to say. So, I'll listen but...could I catch my breath? Because you're growing a bit too fast.

You know what I like about journaling? I am aware that many find it to be the hardest part about putting a layout together. I like it because it doesn't have to be grammatically correct or a wonderfully structured paragraph. Just try to put down the thoughts in your head. Let them flow onto the page and then you have really captured the MOMENT.

Papers and Die Cuts by Daisy D (Modern Romance line), Stamps by gel-a-tins, stamping ink by Stampin' Up!

More later.