Alexa simply amazes me. This fall semester, she started college at ACC, worked part-time at Olive Garden, and interned at a film company. And at the end of a semester of hard work and dedication on all fronts, she achieved a 4.0 GPA.
I’m beaming with pride. My Big Girl’s hard work has paid off. I’m so grateful for all her effort and diligence. And I admire her ability to set a goal and do all that it takes to achieve it.
Donovon was out with friends tonight. So after Ava went to bed, Alexa and I settled in to watch Love Actually.
I’m grateful for a quiet night with My Big Girl watching one of my favorite Christmas movies. Love actually is all around. ❤
My girls are simply precious together. I’m so grateful for their Sister Love. ❤
Listening to the banter of Alexa and Ava cracks me up and warms my heart. Tonight they came with me to pick up dinner. That’s when their banter is most precious – when we’re all in the car together. Ava will say random things like, “You know what, Mommy? Alexa calls me ‘Dimps’.” Alexa then bursts with laughter and a playful exchange ensues.
It’s so incredibly priceless. I’m always tempted to interject and sometimes will, but typically I will sit back and listen with a huge smile across my face. I’m so grateful for my girls’ banter. It’s only going to be this cute for so long, so I savor every second of it.
Alexa wanted Chinese food tonight. Since Donovon and Ava don’t like Chinese food, my Big Girl and I went out for an impromptu mother-daughter dinner date. We just went to Pei Wei, which was okay, but most enjoyable was the time we got to spend together.
I write about the time I get to spend with my girls a lot, and I will continue to as it’s so precious to me. It won’t be long before Alexa is finished with school and out on her own. She’ll soon be focused on a career, and later on a marriage and family of her own. It all happens so incredibly fast. There’s no denying it.
Tonight, it was just us two. We had a great conversation. We talk as adults (which is sort of bizarre to me) while I still do my best to impart tiny pearls of wisdom. Most of all, I just want her to know how much I love her and how proud I am of her. I’m so grateful for my dinner with Alexa.
I took Alexa and Ava shopping tonight and then we picked up dinner. I so much enjoy spending time with them together. They are so full of life, personality, and creativity. As they continue to grow older right before my eyes, I cherish these precious moments with them. I’m so grateful for the time I get to spend with them, the memories we create, and that they fill me with so much love and joy.
I’m sure many working moms can agree that leaving your child or children for ten or more hours a day to go to work is a guilt-riddling, anxiety-inducing necessity.
When Alexa was in day care, she cried almost every day. I can’t tell you how many times I cried on my way to work after just having left her sobbing at the classroom door and calling “Mommy”. It was brutal. I almost want to cry just thinking about it now.
Fast forward to about eighteen years later, Ava’s been in day care since she was six weeks old, and she has always loved it. In the past four years, she’s cried just a few times when being dropped off. In fact, I’ve had far more separation anxiety than she ever has.
Ava has been at her current day care since she was just a little over a year old, and she loves it. The staff is so warm and nurturing. Everyone there knows her. And true to her character, Ava walks around like she owns the place. I’ve never felt so much confidence and security in my child’s care. I’m so grateful for it.
Seriously, how can I not be thankful for these cutie girls??
Being 14 years apart, Alexa and Ava have this very adorably fascinating sisterly dynamic. There’s a lot of competition for attention, but when there isn’t, and it’s just the two if them, their conversations are unbearably cute. I can’t help but grin from ear to ear and sometimes chuckle to myself when I listen to them. I’m so thankful for their relationship, the time they get to spend together, and how it warms my heart.
I needed to pull together a photo collage for a newsletter for work tonight. I had some clue as to how to put it together, but after a long day at work and picking Ava up to take her to gymnastics before finally being able to wind down at home, I was in no mood to try to figure this out on my own. Queue My Big Girl. What would have probably taken me over an hour took Alexa 5 minutes. Thank you, Alexa!! You don’t know how much you helped me tonight!!
Gratitude Daily 