Independent Reader

Lacy already announced it, so this is very Old News of me.
But Lacy is an independent reader! Do you know what this means? My sweet little Barely-a-First Grader is officially reading at a second grade level!
This is a HUGE honor bestowed by the school… all independent readers get a shirt at the school assembly, and they get to ring a big, fat bell in front of the ENTIRE elementary school population.

Lacy earned her Independent Reader award a few weeks before the next assembly. She flew off the bus and onto the porch and announced with all of the grandeur a six year old can muster…
“I! AM AN INDEPENDENT READER!” And then she squealed and giggled and told me ALL about it.

Really, Lacy, if you could stop growing right now that would be best. Your giggles and squealing and beautiful singing are beautiful! I never want to lose the sound of your little giggles.
Thank goodness for video recorders.

Lacy announced her Independent Reader status to everyone of importance, and voiced her disappointment in forgetting to tell our Bishop.
“Awwww… Mom!” she said as we pulled out of the church parking lot, “I forgot to tell Bishop!”

As the day of THE assembly neared, Lacy counted down.
Five more days!
Four more days!
Three more days!
Before we knew it, it was THE day. We missed the bus on purpose and decided to take Lacy to school ourselves. With the extra time we had together, we curled her hair.
Special occasions call for curled hair, this we all know.

As the time came to announce the Independent Readers, Lacy grew very anxious. The principal announced that there was an Independent Reader in the audience that was VERY excited to get her award… that even her Grandpa had come out for the occasion.
And Lacy looked like this…

And when her name was said, the crowd went wild.
Have I ever told you how social Lacy is? Lots of school kids know who she is because she is so friendly. Since she was a babbling baby, that girl has known NO STRANGER.
Everyone is “my friend.”

She is a hard worker, and I am proud of her hard work, her dedication, and her love of learning.

School isn’t an easy thing to go through. Yesterday Lacy came home in tears, and I held her as she vented untruth from the depths of her sad soul.
“I am NOT TALENTED! I AM BAD! I just can’t do ANYTHING right EVER ANYMORE!”

Oh, how I remember feeling that way. We worked through what had happened -a situation that culminated in her writing a song (something she’s remarkably good at).
“My heart is glued.
I’ve never felt this way before.
I love my Mom.
I hate James* now.”

(*name has been changed to protect the guilty)

She didn’t want to go to school today, but she rallied her spirits with grace. And she wrote an “I’m sorry” card for a friend she’d hurt, and she BOARDED the BUS.
Sometimes it takes great strength to board the bus. You know what I mean… we all have our own versions of boarding buses.

(On a geeky side note, why is buses spelled buses and not busses?)

Here’s my courageous, determined girl.
She inspires me… really -as I watched her RUN onto the bus, my heart was full and it made me look inward.
Am I that brave?

And now we’re counting down days not to an assembly, but to a BIRTHDAY. FIVE more days until the boy is FIVE. When did this happen?!

(to answer your question: I downloaded a hair app and the kids and I had some good times. What color is Trent sporting in this image? I like to call it Iron Man Red.)

Comments

  1. Alicia, it warms my heart to see what a good mother you are. Just the little things you do–curling your daughter’s hair for her big assembly, bragging about your kids on your blog–your children are lucky to have you as a mom. And I am lucky to have you as a friend.

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