Today we continue with my Top 12 of 2012 list. And since I'm sure many of you couldn't sleep last night in anticipation of today's entries, let's get right to it.
#9..........5th Grade Finale
There were several big moments in The Ocho's last year of elementary school. I accompanied her on the big year-end trip to Cincinnati, OH. We spent a night a Great Wolf Lodge riding water slides
And the next day touring the Creation Science Museum
Once we were back it was time for her very last Field Day.
Now, since she got her Mom's athletic prowess, this wouldn't seem to be that great of a loss. However, this was the one day a year I was guaranteed to get a good picture of her with all her friends. And when I took this one it struck me how blessed she has been to be surrounded by this particular group of ladies for her entire school experience. They've truly grown up together and for a girl with no sisters, she's gotten God's next best thing with them and I am so thankful.
The culmination of the whole year, though, came at 5th grade graduation when she was presented with The James Award.
Throughout the school year, the 5th grade memorizes the first chapter of James to recite at their graduation ceremony. As the year closes, teachers are presented with a list of boys and girls nominated for The James Award. They are ranked according to the qualities listed in the chapter (perseverance, humility, quick to listen, slow to speak, etc.) and one girl and boy are chosen as the winner announced graduation night. One thing I loved is not only that Lydia was nominated but that her very best friends were as well. It spoke so highly of the people she's chosen to surround herself with and I was just as proud of that. When she was announced as the winner I, of course, burst into the ugly cry and could barely take a picture.
Afterwards I got a shot of her with her award, a new Bible engraved with her name. I so appreciate Zion for instilling the very principles they rewarded her for exemplifying. "But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." James 1:25
Now, from the sublime to the ridiculous. I present #8.......The Redneck Water Slide
The fun of this one isn't that we made a giant slip-n-slide on a hill. It's WHERE the hill is located. Every year since The Ocho was a baby, we've been invited to spend July 4th with all of our friends at The Ellis house. They lived close by and had a pool so it was the perfect summer party location. This year, however, they decided to move 30 minutes away to a house with no pool and there was much protesting. Mainly because they were totally messing up everyone's 4th of July plans. Their new house is in a hoity toity gated community near The Natchez Trace which I'm sure had never seen the sights of our crew. To compensate for the lack of a pool, Handiman (with Oblivious Rob's help) devised a water slide and we brought a little redneck to the neighborhood. Just keep in mind, this is in their Front Yard. And unbeknownst to any of us, they had invited a couple of their neighbors to the party. Hee Hee. Everyone had a blast on the slide and Handiman is already looking at ways to make next year's even better. I'll give your a hint. It utilizes the roof.
#7...........Worst. Lake. Trip. Ever.
You may be wondering how something that was the worst is making the best list. Valid question. It's like the old saying "you'll laugh about it someday." Since we are 5 months removed from the debacle, I can now laugh about it. But at the time? Not so funny.
The Ellis' had kindly invited anyone who wanted to join them for a weekend at the lake. It all sounded so nice and relaxing. A couple of us rented rooms at the lakes "resort" while others opted to just come up for a day. Since The Ocho needed a playmate, The littlest Ellis was invited to spend the weekend with us at the "resort". We were the first family to arrive so we, along with all 4 Ellis', set out for a few afternoon hours on their boat. It was a beautiful day. We were tubing and swimming when we noticed a few clouds setting in.
Most of us made it back inside the boat when all of a sudden a storm came up out of nowhere and Rob stated yelling "Get Luke in the boat...NOW!" I won't go into all the details of how the wind was blowing us around and we almost ran right over Luke trying to retrieve him. Or how Rob broke every speed law trying to get us back to the dock before the tornado swept us all away. Let's just say we made it back (with some in tears) and decided to wait out the storm inside the dock restaurant. We'd have dinner and then head back to the cabin. Good plan. Only, the power was out on the dock, no food was being served AND the dock where the Ellis' park their boat was partially floating away thanks to wind damage.
Long story short, we had no power in our room all night, no dinner until around 11:00 pm and 2 little girls bouncing off the walls. To entertain themselves they created their own superhero, Super AL. One was Super L. The other was Super A. Together....they were Super AL. They jumped and squealed and ran around for hours. And we were trapped with them in a room the size of a small woodshed. Awesome.
The next day we planned to take them to the pool to kill a few hours (and to silence Super AL), but the pool was closed because the storm had filled it with debris. There were other things too, like no TV because the satellite was down and the "resort" was at the top of the steepest hill known to mankind. If you walked down to the lake you almost wanted to sleep there for fear of the hike back up the hill. And then there were the 2 drunk guys who tried to pick up me & Robyn but that's a story for another day.
Between the sweltering heat, the tornado damage and listening to Abigail beg a hundred times in a row for us to go for a "night swim" at 11:30 pm.......let's just say that "a bad day at the lake is better than a good day at work" isn't always true.
Tune in tomorrow when our list continues with a closed window, a mission trip and an American Idol.
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