Today: My Shelby Girl

Shelby hanging with me while I was working at Starbucks.

Dear Shelby,

I love you my sweet, yet incredibly strong willed girl. You have more spunk and determination in your pinkie finger than most people could ever hope to have. We clash, a lot. But we are also incredibly close.  Dealing with your independent nature can be so frustrating at times, but I know someday it will serve you well.

Homework time is horrible. You really, really dislike homework and it’s a struggle to get it done each and every night. Your new school is much more academically rigorous, though also quite creative, but this means you have a lot of homework and you have homework nearly every single night ... yep, even on the weekends. I can honestly say I hate homework, but I can also see the huge improvements you’re making and all the tears, tantrums and struggles are worth it. Your education is beyond important to me. I want you to learn, grow and have ever opportunity available to you. Knowledge is power and gives you choices. I want you to have choices.

Even with horrible homework in our lives, you have blossomed in your new environment. The small class sizes (10 for your main class and six for math) have been such a welcome change for us. Your teachers know who you are, know what you need, and go above and beyond to help you. You’re on fire when it comes to reading and have improved more in the six short weeks school has been in session than you did all last year. Math is fun again thanks to Jo and you’re moving quickly to catch up and move beyond your grade level.

My sweet precious girl, you have some big ideas in that little head of yours. When I ask you about the future, you tell you about all the exotic places you’ll visit, where you’re going to college and some of the various career choices that interest you. At the moment, you’re saving your weekly allowance for a beret (to be purchased in Paris) and brunch at a French Bistro in Paris, of course. I wasn’t sure where you were coming up with these ideas, but Mike tells me I fill her head with them. I’m sure I do. I want you to dream, and you have no problem taking my ideas, making them into your own and dreaming even bigger than I thought possible.

I’ve been to Paris and told you all about it, and of course you asked “when can I go to Paris?” I said, “When you’re 10. We’ll go on vacation there as a family when you are 10.” Do you think you will ever forget this? Nope. In fact, you immediately started saving your money for the above mentioned items. I love it.

You are loving karate and piano. Yesterday you asked if you could take karate more than once a week. I’d say that’s a pretty strong endorsement of the class and karate in general.

You’re growing your hair right now but you want to maintain your bangs. Your bangs drive me nuts. They need to be trimmed right now, which seems to be the case all the time. On the fashion front, you’re as quirky as ever. You still love your cowgirl boots and wear them all the time (we have dipped under 100-degrees, so why not?).

You are one of kind my sweet girl. I adore you and every single day I am grateful we get to travel through life together. You enrich my life beyond measure. I love you Shelby Lou!

Love,

Mom