My Baby Can Read

No, I'm not talking about that program seen on TV.  I literally mean that my 2.5 year old CAN READ!

Seriously, I'm as blown away as you are.  I have seen some signs leading up to it, but when she picked up a book (Are You My Mother) and read it to me word-for-word I just couldn't quite believe it.  I waited until J came home from work to see if she would do it for him.  I picked a library book that we had only read once before.  Same thing, reading along the lines with her little toddler finger tracing the words.  Here are some things I attribute to her early reading (aside from my degree in elementary ed):

I have read books to her DAILY from the time we came home from the hospital.
I point out letters and words EVERYWHERE, signs while driving, cereal boxes at the grocery store, etc.
I let her pick the books at the library. 
I take her to Storytime every week.
We play with words, sing songs, and pick out rhyming words.
We line up letters on the fridge, with her puzzles, and on paper.
I trace the words with my finger while reading.
I pick a word from each book to have her 'read' every time it appears.
(and No, I did not purchase that program.  I oppose it on educational grounds. I also have not pushed her beyond her interest level.)

Apparently I have passed on my love of reading to my daughter (Success!).  Now if only she had inherited my teeth...two years old and already a cavity =(

Amy's Religious Rant

* I am LDS, if anyone reading this wants to know more, check out lds.org.  If you are not my same religion, a lot of my pet peeves might not make any sense to you.

-Go to chuch.  Every Sunday.  Unless you are sick in bed, just go. It's where you are supposed to be.

-Sing when you are supposed to sing.  Seriously it only sounds good if we can drown out all those enthusiastic tune-deaf people there.

- Fulfill your calling.  You said 'Yes' and someone is depending on you to do your calling.  If it were a job you were getting paid to do and you just didn't show up, you would get fired.  All the people working together help things happen each Sunday.

-Don't try to socialize at church.  Sunday meetings are for learning and discussing religious things.  I am ok with the occasional "Oh, your hair looks nice" or "Wow you look great from all that exercise" but don't have serious long conversations in the hallway about personal business.  That is what phones are for. 

-Don't complain about not having enough time to socialize.  If you are not happy with the extra activites being offered, be proactive about it.  When I moved into the ward, there was no book club, so I started one.

-Don't come to church once every 6 months and then get offended when nobody knows who you are. 

-Don't depend on the church members to support you if you are not willing to help in return.  I have no problem giving service, but if it's for the same person over and over again with no reciprocation, it gets old fast.

-Don't ask about how many children people are planning to have! Even the church teaches that family is between a husband and wife. 

-The chapel does not have assigned seating, switch it up a little!

-If you have taken time from your life to learn to play the piano, either embrace it or sell your piano!  Pianists are always needed (except in my last ward, who had a self-playing piano in the RS room).

-Start your talk with something besides "today I was asked to talk on..." or "when the bishop called me, I almost didn't answer the phone..." and "if you look up repentance in the dictionary, it says..."

Once I had a sister...

 I have many sisters, but one has been on my mind a lot recently.  We were so close in age, that as children we hated each other, in high school we competed with each other, and when separated by college and marriage we became best friends.  We used to send each other packages filled with fun and yummy things that were unavailable at our current location.  Despite the distance we kept in contact and knew all the details of each others lives.  We shared successes and woes, complained and consoled and basically acted like close sisters.  She was my maid of honor and I was the one she told when she eloped.
Gradually, things between us began to change.  Our views on important topics began to differ.  I found myself biting my tongue instead of expressing my opinion, and I'm sure she did the same.  Things like church, family, money and education were taboo.  My life was heading in a new direction as I dedicated myself to what mattered to me.  Her goals and interests did not coincide with my own.  The weekly phone conversations ebbed.  I no longer shared everything in my life with her.  She got a new job, and I began school full-time.  Somehow, slowly, we forgot to keep in touch. 
Some days, I miss having a friend-sister.  I have plenty of friends, and plenty of sisters.  That specific relationship has never been duplicated. I miss having that one person who knows me so well I can tell anything to (besides my wonderful husband!).  I miss those reminiscent conversations about people and places and situations from our childhood. 
It has been years now since our last conversation.  Years since I have heard her voice or received any communication.  I have no doubt that I am partly to blame for our separation, but I wonder if someday we can regain what was lost.  I wonder if someday she will want to meet my daughter, and be a part of the family again.  I hope.