Growing Pains

Before I can complete today's post, there are two things you need to know:

1. I have a beautiful and talented daughter who is musically inclined. She has hummed and sung her way through life, filling our home with beautiful music.

2. I have a darling husband who is struggling with his beautiful and talented daughter growing into a beautiful and talented young woman.

Okay. With that in mind, I give you the laugh of the day.

This morning, I was in my room, painting yet another set of doors. Jess was the only other person home, and she would wander in out of my room, and we'd have short little conversations. At one point, she came in singing "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from the movie Mulan.

Jess: "Did you hear what Dad said to me about that song the other day?"

Me: "No."

Jess: "He said it was 'inappropriate.'"

Me (incredulous): "What? Why?"

Jess: "He said I shouldn't be singing a song like that. So I told him that it's a song from a Disney movie and Donny Osmond sings it. I said it was a song about preparing men to go to war, and if Donny Osmond can sing it, then it's probably okay for me to sing it."

Me: "And what did he say to that?"

Jess: "He said, 'OH! I thought it was a song about a young girl making a man out of a boy!"

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Why I Love March Madness

Growing up, I would have been considered the sports fanatic in my family -- and that's not saying much. I went to a few spring training games with friends, I tried to catch the big U of A vs. ASU rivalry game every November, and because I was in the school band, I saw all of our football and basketball games by default.

However, the one sporting event I have truly loved since I was young is March Madness. And, thanks to names like Sean Elliot, Steve Kerr, and of course, Lute Olson, Arizona became my team. And while I will always cheer on the Wildcats, I just love the tournament in general. Why?

1. It's something that my husband and I share and enjoy together. In 1997 when the Cats won the championship, it was the single greatest moment of my NCAA-lovin' life. The next year, when Utah took out Arizona in the Sweet 16, it was the greatest moment of Dan's Ute-lovin' life. Every year, we fill out our brackets, and there have been several times that I've done much better than him. And it's paid off. I've won new shoes, massages, and a month's worth of him making the bed. Let's just not talk about this year's brackets, okay?

2. It's just plain fun to walk into various places of business and see all the little brackets posted on the walls. It makes me laugh. It reminds me that we all need a little escape, that tournament brackets, whether you follow the teams or not, are something in which we can all participate. I mean, who would have predicted anything about Harvard this year?

3. Beyond that, March Madness is a good metaphor for life. Not everyone is invited to the party, and not everyone gets a trophy. Sometimes (and this was tough) not even Arizona is invited. Some people show up who have rich and/or famous dads (yeah, Tim Hardaway, Jr.). It's messy and it's sloppy. One moment it's all going your way and the next moment everyone seems to be ganging up on you. It can get ugly -- people lose teeth and break legs. In slow motion, some plays are absolutely beautiful. There are buzzer beaters that take your breath away and you find yourself holding out hope until the very. last. possible. second. And then Cinderella shows up and you HAVE to cheer for the underdog, because what kind of a monster would you be if you always cheered for Duke the #1 seeds? The best, of course, is when your own team is the Cinderella team. And honestly, how can you not love a white kid named Spike who comes into the championship averaging 2 points per game and then scores 17 points in 17 minutes of play? To quote Luther Vandross, he got his "One Shining Moment."

Finally, when you win, it's pure elation. When you lose, you pick yourself up and try again the next year. And THAT'S why I love March Madness. See you next year, boys.

There's a Girl I Know

Happy 11th Birthday to this horse-lovin', piano-playin', friend-makin' gal!

Jessica is the one who brings music to our family. She can't do anything without humming a tune. She hums when she's making a sandwich. She hums when she's cleaning her room. She hums along as she plays the piano. She hums along as she plays the violin.

Jessica is the one who brings beauty to our family. Her smile dazzles anybody, even before the braces went on. She leaves sweet notes and is always up for hugging.

Jessica is the one who sets the example in our family. She fits well into any situation and is our social butterfly. She's not afraid to stick up for her friends but also isn't afraid to tell them when they're "acting ridiculous."

Jessica is the goal-getter in our family. Yesterday she told me she's going to try and read one chapter in The Old Testament every day. Thanks to her grandpa, she's got her sights set on BYU-Hawaii. "It's only 7 years away, you know," she told me. She's planning to own some kind of horse-related business by the time she's 16, and her bank account is getting there. I told her she'll be the only sixteen-year-old riding a horse to school instead of a car, and she simply smiled. "I'll have to make sure they have a hitching post," she replied.

Happy Birthday Jess!

Tell the Girls to Get In Line

Today I had some fun. I got to take senior pictures of my nephew, Parker. Yep. He's graduating from high school in just a few short weeks. I used to give him piggy back rides and now he towers over me by about a foot! It really wasn't that long ago when his little legs were dangling off of the kitchen stool while he did his kindergarten homework! How time flies... In just a few short months he'll be a college man. Way to go Parker!