I don’t know what is going on in the universe, but there are a few things a little haywire for we three Benderettes. Minor things like my misplacing my cellular phone BlueTooth. Pain-in-the-butt things like colds that linger too long. Growing up things like little girlfriends who are here today, gone tomorrow. Getting-our-act together things like doing homework and not forgetting books at school. And other things that are not worth mentioning.
When I pulled into the driveway this evening my daughters were already bickering. I turned off the van, turned around and told them how all three of us are going through some rough patches at the moment. We needed to take a moment and appreciate each other. Sisters should grow up to be best friends. When school work is hard, when friendships go brittle, my two daughters must learn to look out for each other, forever. It is possible. John has four sisters. One lives in Rhode Island, one in Iowa, and two here in Hawaii. I have never witnessed them bickering. They probably get on each others nerves sometimes, but, they are very good-natured and rise above the bait if any of them casts it about. Those are the role models for my daughters.
I think I got through to them tonight. Charlotte did her homework, no stalling, no spacing out. Sophie practiced her viola and did some reading. Both of them watched the awesome PIXAR link that ran in today’s New York Times. I think Charlotte could work for such an organization. I want her to see that she’s got talent that people there use everyday. Often my friends tell me how they enjoy Charlotte’s artwork. Her cats are warriors, plushies, tormented, tortured, sinister, sassy, beautiful, dreamy and fun. She has a sense of humor, and it comes through. She also has this apparent darkness. What does it mean?
“What does it mean?” is one of our family catch phrases. We use it to tease each other, we use it to amuse each other, we use it when we see something we think is over the top or uber dumb. Inevitably, someone always says, “Double rainbow!”
Sophie reminds me of her aunts Sally and Cathy. Both finished high school early and got into college younger than most. They were through with high school, they were bored with it, they wanted to pursue collegiate studies. Fortunately, Sophie has her science and math that keeps her excited and motivated. Next month she’s going to Maui for the SPARKS program to learn about astrophysics. She is thrilled beyond measure!
I wonder what they could do together, how these girls could weave their skills into something amazing? I like to hear them collaborate when they create bios for all of the cat warriors Charlotte has drawn. They create story boards, they plot scenarios, they blow my mind. They shoot videos, they create soundtracks on Garage Band. These are the times I enjoy most, listening to them as they bounce ideas off each other, comfortably complementing each others skills.
It restores that awe I have simply for being their mom.
@postaday 40; postaday2011.
Lavagal 