Mothers and Daughters

Here is something I posted on Instagram that I'll record here too.  "Ella shared a story that just delighted me.  She was recently walking from art class to band with some friends while the kindergarten classes were getting out of chapel.  As each kindergarten kiddo passed her, they high-fived or hugged her.  She wondered, 'How do they all know me?' and she got her answer when a girl at the end of the line threw her arms around Ella and exclaimed, 'Teacher Jen!'"

This story has a sequel too!  I was recently outside watering the plants when the group of girls who play together on our street shouted to me, "Hi Ella!"

 I had a lovely Mother's Day with lots of spoils from my family.  They cooked an amazing dinner and showered me with presents.  Fun this year was receiving a gift bag full of my favorite candy, which the girls bought totally on their own with babysitting money and a walk to the drug store.  They're getting so old!

A chapter in our lives closed at last week's Mother Daughter Night for the church girls' group we have all been a part of.  It only runs through 8th grade, so Ella is done and we'll no longer do this all together.

The 6th grade class I teach read their moms some touching and hilarious questionnaires they had filled out about their moms.  We got the dirt on the moms who cook too much quinoa for their kids' taste, who clean their bathroom to the Rocky soundtrack, whose greatest talent is scrubbing the patio, who should turn off the KLOVE and let their kids listen to fun music, and who impart wisdom-- like don't drive like them.  

As an 8th grader, Ella got to be in the grand finale fashion show.  She modeled my wedding dress, a dress she found for $3 at the thrift store while doing the Smart Shopping Badge, and her 8th grade graduation dress.  She also had an opportunity to take the stage with her classmates and share favorite memories and advice for younger girls.  Delia and I will miss her being a part of this ministry with us, but it was a neat way for her to end.

 I had a great time teaching my little students, like I do every year at Mother's Day, to see all the big and small ways their moms serve and care for them.  This year has been one of my hardest years of teaching for various reasons and I'm not super sad it's almost done.  But there have been plenty of sweet moments in my classroom that I'll hold as good memories.

And finally...the news that Almost Graduated Ella received a phone for an early present!  We set our home phone in her contacts to say "Happy Graduation, Ella", hid the new phone in the couch cushions and called her on it one night.  She was crying as she answered it and realized what it was.  So far, it's going okay!  The phone, at this point, it nothing but a communication device.  It's been fun to watch her connect with family members and friends.  And it was VERY nice to have her take her own phone to this week's babysitting job!  As scary as it is to hand your 13 year old this kind of danger and distraction, Ella has been handling it with self control and maturity.  And how cute are these texts she sends me?! :)