And then she was 15

       Genevieve has had a year of being busy....and probably getting busier.  As someone who tries to raise my kids focusing on the person they are and not on their accomplishments....she sure is trying to accomplish a lot.   Finishing up middle school she worked on getting good grades, improving her cello skills by starting lessons, and putting herself into her art.   All decent things, I'll give her that, but she is so much more than her accomplishments.  Her grades can fluctuate, her passion for music is great, but also could fade, all creativity I think comes in waves...but who Genevieve is to her core, is just lovely.

She is charming, she's distracted, she is passionate, she is funny, she is quirky, she's nervous, she's confident, she's smart, she's contemplative, she's expressive, she's loyal, she's inquisitive, and she's unique.

    Having a confident teenage girl is kind of....crazy.  On one hand, it's precisely what you hope for when raising a teenage girl....on the other hand...well, she's a confident teenage girl...I feel like if you're a parent you probably know what that implies.   Where I love seeing her confidence shine the most is the same place I've always loved seeing it in her... in her self-assuredness in whatever quirky thing she's currently interested in.   She doesn't care if other kids think dragons are cool, she knows they are, and sure as heck won't be stopped from the opportunity to meet her favorite author for her favorite dragon book series.  She doesn't care if all the kids are listening to Olivia Rodrigo, or Taylor Swift, or KPop...she will be listening to Aurora loudly on repeat till your ears bleed.   She doesn't care if everyone is going to watch scary movies or ride thrilling rides....she will NOPE that so quick without a single thought towards being persuaded to do otherwise because she won't do what she doesn't want to.  That really applies to anything she doesn't want to do....no amount of peer pressure or persuasion works on this girl...and while it can be troublesome with a family, I kind of love that about her. 

    This worked out even better when leaving middle school behind and stepping into high school.   While high school has revealed areas of needed growth and concentration with trying to navigate so many responsibilities, it has also been a place she has been able to find her people, share her passions, and try new things.   She has had some organizational troubles, and while these existed in middle school, in high school she has really grown into owning her weaknesses and mistakes (sometimes, but hey! that's huge with a teenage girl!) and working on improvements.  She has acknowledged when she may have bitten off more than she can chew.  Also, she has been open to trying new things to help her grow in these areas.   Sometimes I forget it's about the process, and we are very lucky to have this girl who is open to suggestions (again, sometimes) from her parents.   Along this same thought process, she has repeatedly acknowledged that she likes us, and feels safe to talk about things with us.    I don't always think we really know what we are doing with parenting sometimes, but when she tells us this, it feels like we must be doing something alright, because having your teen trust you is pretty huge.  She has also done really well picking up and balancing so many new responsibilities, she walks a dog for extra cash, she joined clubs, she has been trying to organize her things, she has created places for her to relax and study, overall just showing a lot of initiation.

    

    High school is a pretty big change for anyone, but on top of that we moved.  While she was thrilled and excited at the idea of moving, and loved the house we were moving to, the idea of leaving the home she had spent her entire life in was rather daunting.  For a girl who loves routine, comforting places, and her own room as a safe place to decompress, she had a lot of changes to adjust to.  She acknowledged the change, the pain and struggle and what she would need to help her adjust and then, got it done.   I know a lot of people might look at it as a simple thing, but changing up her world that much, and being able to process the emotions she was feeling, feel them and go forward is pretty impressive for this young lady. 

   

 So this year of launching into her high school years, as she grows more independent, as she grows more into herself and discovers more of who she is and who she wants to be, I hope to always see her continue to be her authentic, wonderful self.  May she hold her chin up, keep finding new adventures...and always enjoy her pickle juice. 

Zeke turns 12

   We no longer have "kids" in our house, we are a household of teens and tweens.  Crazy.  This age always seemed scary from a distance, but now that we're here...it's just new challenges and new adventures.  We're still parenting our growing offspring and constantly being amazed at their growth, development and personhood.  Zeke is probably the most consistent in our house....which is hilarious to point out as he is also the most chaotic in our household.  Scrolling back through old blogs and reading about this of fun, chaotic ball of adventurous energy, he has pretty much been the same since he entered this world.  

       I wish everyone could see life through the lens of wonder and adventure that we always get to see Zeke view things.  When we did my 40th birthday world traveling trip, I had a couple friends suggest leaving the kids home, so we could enjoy it without you know....kids.  While I understand the sentiment, to enjoy some adult time and such, but let me tell you, getting to see new parts of the world, ESPECIALLY Iceland, with this boy was half the magic.  He's so appreciative of beauty, and sentimental about it as well.   He will reminisce about the scenery and how he felt in the moment as he observed so much wonder.   He wants to take it all in, and hold on to it as long as possible. 

     While he has always been kind hearted, thoughtful and empathetic, in the past he has tended to often be blindly agreeable, and we are starting to see a little surly attitude peaking through from time to time.   We have seen him start to communicate his discontent with friends or his sister, and of course, his parents.   Which oddly enough, has been a really good thing for us to start to see.   We used to worry about him being taken advantage of, or walked all over, and as he gets older and is starting to express and find himself more, we have been able to talk a lot out with him and see so much growth as he navigates the growing world around him.  He is learning balance.  He is also learning to find the equilibrium of humor and kindness, and we see that most played out with his sister.   I have to admit, we have been incredibly lucky that they have always gotten along for the most part....but they are really getting on each others nerves these days and it's been a lot of lessons on boundaries, respect, kindness, and humility.  Siblings are really great for life lessons.   But when it comes down to it, he is fiercely protective of his sister, and cares a lot about what she thinks of him.

 

    While learning balance has been a great growing characteristic we have seen this year...what we can learn from Zeke....what everyone could learn...is contentment.  And enjoying the most in every moment.

I have never met anyone in my life who is as content as he is at home doing things he loves.   He won't run errands with us cause he'd rather just be sitting at home with his dog reading a book, or playing a board game, or having his screen time, or doing art, or playing with his cars or toys or Legos, or hanging outside with his neighbor friends.  His greatest concern recently was that he would be too busy on his actual birthday and he wouldn't have time to "chill at home with Chupa".   His words exactly.  He is so appreciative of the times we get to slow down and spend time as a family playing board games or going camping that you almost forget this is the same child who climbs walls with all his energy.  Last spring while camping for two nights, he was laying in the hammock staring up at the trees and he told me "thanks for bringing us camping, this is my favorite, I love relaxing outside".   When starting to write this blog I confessed to Tyler, sometimes I struggle reflecting on Zeke's year because he's so content with whatever he's doing he kind of just...disappears from my direct attention.   But it's his contented happiness that actually stands out. 

       We are a household who loves music, and he really enjoys having a soundtrack to his life, and often puts the music on in the background himself.   He has his fathers talent of quickly learning lyrics and being able to sing along with hundreds of songs.  He loves this band called Stop Light Observations and when we saw they were finally coming to Lawrence, we quickly got tickets.  It was a great show, our whole family loves the band.   Zeke...well, Zeke had a moment.   He saw Imagine Dragons live, so this wasn't technically his first concert.   But the experience of seeing a band you really love, in a small dingy club, and stand at the front and just get to jam out to the songs you love....this is pure bliss.  People around us commented at the joy of getting to see him experience this moment.  At the end of the show the lead singer gave him the set list, which Zeke framed and hung in his room.   He has since been asking when he can go to another show. 

        It's been a fun year filled with new adventures and experiences, and the joy Zeke brings to each is always fun to share.  

Genevieve at 14

     

        This is the year.   She finally did it.  She told me it was going to happen, and I told her she didn't actually know for a fact that it would, yet it did.   Vi out grew me.   While she accomplished a lot this year, she might just say this was her greatest achievement.

                                     

                      

She really grew a lot this year, and that seems to be the theme of every year...especially since the whole point of these birthday blogs is basically to remark in HOW they grew.   But growth overall seems to be the theme in my mind for this year.   She matured in so many ways, accomplished so many goals, and did so many new things.

       

         The most notable new thing...she is now a world traveler.   We traveled to Iceland, Ireland and Italy in about two weeks, never staying one place more than two nights, traveling by plane, boat, ferry, bus, car, train, even a train on a boat!  This girl was in heaven.  She loves nature so Iceland was a dream, she wished and hoped to see a puffin, and we did!  Ireland was an absolute delight as she saw border collies put on a herding demonstration and was amazed at all of Irelands beauty.  Italy is now her favorite place on earth.  As someone who has always loved mythology at the beginning our our stop in Italy she became our tour guide through Valley of the Temples. She could have spent days at the beach in Sicily and loves the water.  As she has a collection of masks, seeing all the handmade mask shops in Venice was the climax of an amazing trip.   Traveling has always suited her, new countries just highlighted her appreciation for everything new she encounters.

        After about two years, Genevieve got her braces off, just in time for 8th grade!  That was a pretty great start to a school year, but overall, starting this year was great as she was ready to jump back into the things she loves at school.   Running everyday for cross country, increasing her times and distance.  Joining "Fiddle Club" learning new styles of music to play on her cello and putting on extra performances.  Taking Journalism and going to more events to capture photos, including taking photos after her own races.  Reading more books for this years 'Battle of the Books' and putting in extra training to once again travel to South Dakota for the Nike Cross Country regionals where she ran a 5k in 26:49!

        Everything I have mentioned so far is really just...things.   Travel, clubs, hobbies, skills....and while she has grown in so many of these aspects, and we are so proud; watching her grow into a caring, confident, thoughtful teen has been delightful.  While somedays I repeat this mantra to myself "Be a smartass, get smartass kids" to remind myself that some her remarks are our own doing; overall, she consistently shows me what a kind hearted person she is.  She has had two teachers who have lost pets that she asked to get little gifts for.   She asks to spend time with her younger cousins, giving them piggy back rides and asking to host a princess tea party for them and playing with her baby cousin when she goes to work with me.  She stood up for a friend in her classroom when the class was picking on them instead of standing by, which directed the class to tease her as well.   She asks me how people are doing and what we can do to help when she hears of anyone struggling.  She has adamantly insisted that no one can pick on her brother except for her.   These are the things that as parents really matter to us the most.   Of all the things in the world she could be, kind is one of the best things we can hope for.

           As always, she is proud to be uniquely herself.  Middle school has presented many opportunities...many, many opportunities to do what it takes to just...fit in.  She's not interested in fitting in.  Books, Scarlett Witch, Owl House, fantasy anything, nature, classical music, board games, guinea pigs, the color purple....so many things she loves, and she has found the people who accept and love her for her quirky passionate self.  It's not always easy when you don't work to fit in, but I'm proud of watching her choose to love herself over and over again.

        This year hasn't been as shocking to me that she is turning 14.  She has grown so much overall that it feels like....of course she is.   Is it going too fast?  Yep.   Sure is.