Hit the Road

Last night Molly and I curled up in bed to watch The Sound of Music. It was her first time seeing the movie. I remember as a child waiting for it to come on every year to watch it with my mother. I remember the words to nearly every song, and even though Molly hadn't seen it, she knew them all too. It was so nice, we've decided to do it regularly. Get an old movie, some snacks, comfy pjs, and snuggle.

Molly makes it very easy to be proud of her. Two weeks ago, she made it to cheer camp. Not every cheerleader is chosen to go; it's considered an honor. She'll be gone the first weekend in August. It costs a bit, but she's willing to work for it. Saturday was Solo and Ensemble at the high school. She entered five different performances and came out with five firsts! She's going to state with Jazz Choir. The other pieces were Class B; you can only go to state with a star first on a Class A piece. Next year it'll be Class A all the way. I spent the day at the high school going from classroom to classroom to listen to her. It makes for a very long day. Her first performance was at 10:16 and the last was at 3:48. I was so proud of Molly. She's confident as she sings, and her voice is lovely (if I do say so myself). Her duet with a friend brought tears to my eyes.

It hasn't been easy for Molly having a mother who is chronically ill. Sometimes she resents me for missing her performances and games. She has to help out around the house more than other kids her age, and she's a little mother to Mia. But I've noticed in the last couple of months, a maturation in how she deals with my illness. She's taken on the chore of laundry to help Jesse out (not without monetary compensation, of course), and her patience is growing. She's a good kid, and I'm glad she's mine.

Hit the Road by Caroline B. Cooney is another terrific YA title by a prolific author. 16 year old Brit's parents have gone on vacation, leaving her under the care of her grandmother, Nannie. But Nannie has no intention of babysitting her teenage granddaughter or being babysat as well. Nannie and her two lifelong friend are determined to make it to their 65th college reunion, and if that means non-licensed Brit doing the driving and kidnapping a friend as well, so be it. Cooney has a real talent for getting inside teenagers' minds. Brit is selfish and rebellious, all without being unsympathetic. The idea of spending time with Nannie isn't what she wants to spend her free time. But as she spends time with her grandmother, she finds that they are in similar places in their lives. Both are on the verge of independence. Brit is about to break free from her parents' authority, while Nannie is just coming under it. Both struggle with the restraints place upon them, and Cooney manages to make the reality of growing old come alive even for a teen audience. This wonderfully written book is enjoyable to read and has a good message a well about doing what's right, even when it hurts.

Tonight we're going to pick up our new laptop. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be blogging on that instead of Molly's. I can't wait!