I guess my daughter wouldn't really appreciate being called a kid, she is 39 years old but in my mind she will always be my little girl. I am so very, very proud of her. I'm proud of her accomplishments as well as the woman she has grown into. I'm proud of the wonderful, patient, understanding, kind and fun mom she is. I'm proud of the wife and helpmate she is to her husband and the wonderful relationship they have developed. I'm proud of the teacher she is to her students and the friend and support she is to the other teachers she teaches with. I'm proud of her intelligence and independence, her individuality and acceptance of all, her strength and her softness. So yes, I am so very proud of her. This child was born at the end of the 70's I used to tell her she was born in the wrong generation. She would have made such a great hippie. (Being that she was raised by two hippies at the time LOL) When she was little we lined the walls with paper so she could draw on the walls ... that free style you know ... she became a remarkable artist. We didn't believe in playpens ... we felt that would restrain her too much ... again free style... so while I cooked dinner I would sprinkle cornflakes on the front porch (we lived out on a farm that was sort of a community while in college with about 12-15 small houses for college students on it) and the chickens would come up on the porch and entertain Rachel while I put her on a blanket in front of the screen door to watch them eat the cornflakes. Before a house fire destroyed most of our pictures we had pictures of her on the back of a Brahma bull when she was about 18 months old (he really thought he was a puppy and just followed you around to be petted) her feeding the chickens when she could barely walk. Rachel with two Dalmatian dogs that she adored named Popper and Pepper. Feeding horses carrots and cows in the front yard with her on the front porch. Gary wasn't a big fan of that place, he never did like the big animals but the rent was great. Rachel thrived on the free life style though and grew up pretty much the only child among most of our friends. We moved to town when she was about 18 months old but we continued to keep the free style upbringing with her. She was really an easy child.
We had our son almost 6 years later and chose a different way to raise him. He turned out to be a great kid but I often wonder had we continued in the manner we had with Rachel would he have had an easier way in life. When he was born we had graduated college and become established. Gary was out of law school and was practicing. Things had changed for all of us. So life became more structured when Rob was born. Rob's life was more structured. Sometimes I think we can set our boundaries too tight, too strict and because of that we get push back ... we get rebellion. I'm very proud of my son as well. He too has accomplished a lot. He chose not to go to college. He couldn't wait to get out of school. He worked, he saved his money and bought his first house at 24 and now he's getting ready to close on his second house. He's investing in rental properties. He says these are his retirement. He has a good head on his shoulders. He knows what he's doing and he manages it well. He told me once that too many kids go to college, owe so much for the loans and make as much as he does working in a factory. He didn't want to come out of college owing money. He didn't want us paying for it either. His sister went to college on a full scholarship. But he's right. Not everyone is cut out for college and not everyone should go to college. It's been drummed into us for how long now ... the only way to have a future is to go to college ... but that isn't true. There is nothing wrong with blue collar jobs. We need them. They are honorable, true occupations and it's time people acknowledge that.
Anyway, the kids (Rachel and my grandson, Phoenix) will be here in 5 weeks and I'm doing the count down. I'm getting so excited. We have a few things planned this trip but not a whole lot because I want them to be able to plan a few things while they are here as well. We are going to visit the Pioneer Woman while they are here. I would love to go see Shakespeare in the Park in OKC as well. Of course there are a few other things I have in mind I'll run past them. I try to find things we haven't done when they come home so it's new for them. We always go to one of the museums because it's what we love and we will again of course. I'll take lots of pictures and try to remember to post them. I always promise and never post.
TaTa for now
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