The twins are 9 today. 9 on the 9th, to be exact. We have been celebrating accordingly with a little party with sweet friends at the pottery place; with cinnamon rolls, presents, and FaceTime with college sister this morning; a pumpkin patch visit this afternoon; and a dinner party with cake and all the fun stuff a grandma and grandpa and our immediate family can bring tonight.
So, we’re celebrating in *golden* fashion.
As we were coming home from the orchard today, we started talking about how the celebrating today should also include their entrance into the world. It was not the easiest pregnancy, delivery, recovery or portion of our life as a family, but we can look back and celebrate the golden moments that have led us to today.
As the twins have grown into their personalities, our family has had a chance to bend and flex into who we are as this supersized unit. Joe and I figured out (early on!) how to ask for help and then quickly realized how lucky we are to have had helpful grandparents and friends. Our driving teenagers have helped keep these little girls on the same path of multiple activities so they too can find their path. In the same breath, these twins have been able to experience so much different than their older siblings. Being a basketball sister or a volleyball sister means being a part of a very special little sister girl gang at the games. And how many nine-year-olds have been to the State Track finals, the National Western to watch your sister sing, and cheer on actors, football players, cattle showers. Their ability to identify Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo songs rivals most 16-year-olds, and their obsession with homecoming dresses, nails, and dates is pretty funny. The twins are as worldly as they are innocent, still asking questions like “Why are there bad words?” and “When will Santa need my list?”
As a mom, I’m one of the lucky ones, even though sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever have a break from little kids. I don’t have to worry about the magic of Christmas ending. It’s been going strong for almost 19 years over here. While I could recite the beginning of school schpiel for most teachers, I still get excited when the twins figure out who their teachers are each year. I may be the age of Mary’s teacher’s mom this year, but we won’t talk about that.
Here’s to our Golden Girls today and every day. We can’t believe how fast these nine years have gone, but we also can’t wait to watch the next nine fly by. Halfway to 18 today. Yikes.
Dear Mary,
You are a dear, dear heart. Your empathy and thoughtfulness will make you a friend anyone would want. But what intrigues me the most is your curiosity. You are continually asking questions. You are always wondering why. You’re so interested in knowing just about everything that, while exhausting, it leads me to believe that your life will be one filled with fulfilling that curious spirit. I can’t wait to see you tackle this world. Keep protecting that “baby” sister of yours, Caroline, but also give her the space to be curious too.
Love,
Mom
Dear Caroline,
Oh sweet girl. You are truly coming into your own. Standing up to that {sometimes} bossy set of sisters has made you quite the spitfire. I love your spirit and spunk and especially your crazy sense of humor. You have brought so much humor to our house that in the midst of our chaos and sometimes stress, you keep us laughing. Keep that spirit and spunk, and don’t let the world knock it out of you when life feels hard. Just keep being you.
We love you,
Mom