Perfectly Imperfect.

Children inherit so much from us.
They are born...
-created from a union.
-perfect combinations of two people's visible traits.
-new to the world.
-cherubic and fresh faced.

They become...
-beautifully flawed.
-perfect combinations of their loved ones' personalities.
-human by nature... forced, ready or not, to take on the world.
-little sponges... absorbing everything!

I have passed on much to my girls.
...poor kids.
...just kidding. Well, maybe not.

I can't believe that I'm about to do this...
I'm going to reference a movie that happens to be one of my husband's favorites.
I never thought much of the film, until I was exposed to it CONSTANTLY for  a decade or so...

Does anyone out there know the movie: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly?
It's an old spaghetti Western, starring Clint Eastwood and directed by Leone.
I have, over the years, become very familiar with this film. (thanks to my husband)
It's your textbook, 1960's, low budget Italian Western. (just stating the facts folks)
It's focus is on the three main characters, their plight and their characteristics, which are inherently predictable.
They are judged by their physical appearances and personalities through out the entire film!
...hence the title.

This my dears is life.
-Whether we like it or not.

It is human nature.
We come.
We see.
We judge.
-Some good.
-Some bad.
...and yes, some deemed ugly.
You may begin as one type of person and like the Bianca of Shakespeare become someone else...
...beautiful on the outside but not so pretty within.

Sometimes I feel as if I am too harsh a critic.
Am I too hard on our girls?

I'll have to wait decades in order to know the answer.
Some day our girls will look back.
They will review their memories.
...some half forgotten.
...others in tact and vibrant.
They will judge our parenting skills.
They will weigh their childhoods on what I hope to be a well calibrated scale.

I wonder how we'll stack up?
Will Jim and I pass the age old parenting test?
What will they choose take from us and pass on to the next generation?
Even better, what will they inherently force upon the next with out realizing it.

Hmmmm...I wonder.

My children have a love of the rain.
They take pure delight in creating art, music and the written word.
They are creative by nature...curious to no end.
My girls are hell on wheels! (literally rolling everywhere...)
Our children have a great fondness for the outdoors and nature.
We are raising beach babies.
Each is especially observant...nothing escapes any of their attentions...EVER!
Stubbornness runs rampant in our children.
So does shyness in public or with strangers.
They are very determined young ladies.
They are verbal, vocal creatures when the time is right...and sometimes when the time is very wrong.
They can at times be argumentative.
Each of our children is caring and has a tender heart.
They have varying shades of blond hair and the colors of the sea and sky twinkle in their eyes.
People say that they are lovely. (inside and out)

These things have been inherited.
Some by modeling and mirroring and others purely given by nature, destiny.
I can't wait until we discover where these traits take each of them.
What journeys await my children?

According to the kids:

Addison: Will own a horse stable and have a son named Devil. (We don't quite know where the name choice came from.)
Grace: Will become an art teacher and never wants to get married. "Boys are gross!"
Chloe: Will someday be a rock star Mommy.

-The future sounds great!

Sometimes I wish that the next decade would fly by.
I want so badly to see who they will each become.

Then I remember to slow down and enjoy the steps along the way.

Dancing, storytelling, cuddling and crafting are in the now.
Tea parties and stuffed animals are all the rage.
Happiness comes with stacking empty, plastic, Easter eggs on the living room floor.
Hanging color swatches on your wall and selecting your own, "big girl" room decor is thrilling.
Learning how to write letters to loved ones and actually getting mail, with your own name on the envelope is amazing!
Wondering how the post man does this is equally intriguing.
Eating ice cream on the floor, in front of the open front door, while the rain falls is "the best time of your life."

I so love how so many of us rushed to become adults. Once there it's our children that take us out of the mundane, adult world, back to simplicity and awe.

There is time for the future.
It's always there...
...one step ahead of us.

Top photo: Grace's Camping Hair
2nd photo: In Mom's Shoes (Addi and Grace)
3rd photo: Holiday Fun
4th photo: Chloe's Egg Towers