This Reminds Me

Hannah and Julia joined about 20 other kiddos in presenting “Down by the Creekbank” at church Sunday night. Julia and friends (cousins to each other) Kayla and Jenna sang “I Am Adopted.”  “I’m adopted, I’m chosen, I bear my father’s name.  Living a life of luxury in a castle with the king.”   (Don’t get the swelled head, Keith.)  Rachel asked me why other adopted choir kiddos didn’t join them at the mike.  Well, duh!  Because Julia, Kayla and Jenna were the cutest!  Absolutely the cutest!  I say this will all maternal modesty.

Hannah (pink shirt) and friends Kaylynn and Bailey trio’ed “Love Is.”  Hannah participated in her first multi-school Solo/Ensemble competition on Saturday, too, scoring really well.  Love Is….hearing your child practice and knowing she’s good.

At the same mutli-school Solo/Ensemble competition Saturday, Bush Middle School had 91 voice soloists, five piano soloists, and 79 Ensemble members represent it, bringing home a total of 175 medals.  The Ensemble to which Lois belonged sang “The King Of Love,” and was one of two Ensembles denoted as “Outstanding Performers” among the dozens that competed.  And – like Hannah – she scored really well on her Solo.  Somehow, I ended up chaperoning at the competition.  (“Get in line.  Did you sign in?  The drinking fountain is over there.”)  The news of her Ensemble award was music to my ears.

Way to go, Lo!  You really cleaned up!

We took off to Mexico for our annual “purses and earrings” jaunt this weekend.  We used to go to Laredo – l-o-v-e-d Laredo - but the whole drug-lords-with-automatic-weapons thing turned us to the valley crossings near MacAllen.

The girls poked fun at my new. ultra-svelte Sketchers walking shoes, perfectly designed to navigate congested, uneven sidewalks.  Jealous.  That’s what they were.  Just plain jealous.  We spent Friday evening wandering Reynosa – no fun.  Too many snowbirds – too many fixed-price Wal-Marto-type stores.

Quatro hermanas in Progresso, where we scooted Saturday.  Plenty of snowbirds there, too, but fewer proportionately.  Lots more stores.  Note Julia’s orange mustachio, the result of sugary orange soda (which mean Mamacita does not buy at home.)

Different hats, different countries – 2 years, 1 week and 2 days apart

Hungry?  How about some Bob Esponja creamy goodness?  The girls love this mush.  They swiped it out of the individual containers with their fingers, not realizing little plastic spreaders were included.  But what the heck – all that stuff under their nails – a snack for later!

I’d never seen fist-sized marshmallows before.  Fortunately, we bought none.

The tie-on name braclets are sold everywhere, but surprisingly, “Julia” wasn’t to be found.  “Lois” never is, and Rachel coveted a “Wyoming.”  So for $14, we got a custom-made “Julia,” :”Lois,” and “Wyoming,” plus a pre-made “Hannah.”  This guy was really fast.  Took him about three minutes to whip one out.  And while we were waiting on the bracelets….

…..Keith bought a gynormous terra cotta turtle “for the pond.”  Started off at $90.  By the time we were finished, it was $60, and the owner got an associate with a green card to walk it across the border (to our car) for us.  When I post pond pictures again, expect to see it.

Our mostest favoritest purchase – wrapper purses and wallet.  This satchel-sized (“Judy-sized”) bag belongs to Rachel.  Lois and Hannah got smaller sizes.  We waited until we found the best selection, then bartered a deal for three bags and a wallet – $60 total.  I think I could have gotten him down $5 lower but I was embarassing Keith.

Wanna see “Jumper?”  Us too!  $5.  Special price for you, lady.

Dramamine for everybody ensures a quiet ride home.  It’s this mother’s little helper.

Quotes from the weekend:

Lois, describing some scene from a movie: “It’s so cute.  Like kittens drowning in ice cream.”

Keith, trying to determine the way to the border:  “The sun rises in the east.  It’s mid-way on the horizon.” Hannah:  “It’s by the Burger King.”

Lois, describing her friends at school:  “I’d really hate to be around anyone like myself because then I’d know how really annoying I am.”

Rachel:  “So what do you call a foot doctor?  A p*dophile?”

Keith, listening to Julia sing “Island in the Sun” in the back seat:  “So – she’s taking art in middle school?”

Rachel, explaining why she likes Mexican candy so much:  “It’s got the most salt and lead.”

Lois, after I said I was sure that with enough training, I, too, could create a name braclet in three minutes or less:  “No, Mom, you’d set it on fire and walk away.”

Rachel to Hannah, who was announcing every minute that she needed a pit stop:  “I don’t want to hear childbirth noises back there.”

“Adios!”

Tonight I was fishing through an envelope of old photos, hunting an appropriate print to scan into a greeting card for a friend.  Rachel peeked over my shoulder and muttered, “Wow.  You used to be good.”

I settled on this one for the card – a yellow rose shot in a neighbor’s yard.

Here are my favorite photos pulled from that envelope….

This bud’s for you, Judy….especially since a print of it is hanging in your hall bathroom, thanks to the annual Houston Azelea Trail.  I used to have Saturdays to do things like that.  Now – ummm – not so much.

The rain drop intrigued me.

Did you know tulips started off in Asia – not Holland?  I didn’t, until I heard it on the  Azelea Trail.  I’ve always found green the most soothing color, and sought it for backgrounds.

Moving right along – and up north – to this Indiana hay field in 1985.  Only after I visited in fall did I understand my mother saying, “I miss seasons.”

Fireworks from the rooftops during Houston’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1986.  Sarah, her friend Eileen and I spent the night in a downtown hotel so we could catch the primo views.

No rooftops here – just 14-year-old Sarah twirling sparklers in front of my apartment in 1986.  This was way before Photoshop, people.

Choo-choo!  The Galveston Railroad Museum.  I had prints of these statues color washed in green and later copper.  Quite dramatic.  A green wash hangs framed in our kitchen.

And finally – a Santa Barbara coastal sunset.  When I see this print, I think of ”Now the Day is Over,” which we often sang as a parting hymn in church of Christ Sunday night services.  “Now the day is over.  Night is drawing night.  Shadows of the evening steal across the sky.  Now the darkness gathers.  Stars begin to peep.  Birds and beasts and flowers soon will be asleep.”   Sometimes I miss acappella harmony so badly, strains trickle from my lips unconsciously.  So if you hear me singing bits of a harmony solo, forgive me. And just tell anyone else I’m off my medication.

Now, most of my shots are of Vacation Bible School, or a kiddo’s birthday party.

So maybe I did used to be good.

But now I am good and happy.