RACHEL the Blogger

Rachel is now ten, but, this picture was taken on her eighth birthday. As our oldest child, Rachel has the natural ability to take care of her little brothers and sisters. She will be the first to sit and read to her little sisters and help them with their chores. She'll hold their hands while we are out and likes to be charge. She handles all this with a certain air of responsibility and authority. Her sisters and brother look to her for direction. On the flip side, Rachel is the moodiest of all our kids. Once she is in a bad mood - look out. It could be hours before she will be pleasant company. And whatever the problem, she always gets past it. I think she's entitled to her moods, partly becuase I'm also a pisces and I understand wanting to be left alone, but mainly because when she engaged and interested, she is all about business and fun! Rachel Mae was named after James' Mom, Nelda Mae, and is espeically proud of the fact that they share a birthday. Rachel loves to rearrange the furniture, draw and design. She will draw houseplans one minute and animals the next. If it's paper, she's into it. Rachel earned her black belt in Tae Kwon Do and wants to play the piano. She is the most likey note-writer in the house. If I get a "mommy note" found around the house, it was Rachel that wrote it for me. I have received love notes, apology notes and sweet little nothing notes - just her way of expressing her sweet self. Rachel likes to sing and practically filled my phone with voice notes - her and her sisters singing everything from Hannah Montana to I Am A Child Of God. She is nightowl. Don't talk to her before breakfast, all you will get is a grunt. Rachel collects rocks. She wants to grow her hair out and get her ears pierced. Her grades are always Honor Roll, and she works hard at some subjects to keep it that way. Others, especially science, come easily. Rachel is starting to talk on the phone to her friends, and she just began her own blog - the funky tree stump. She said the name just came to her and she liked it. I do, too. Rachel is athletic and kind; she is imaginative and creative. She is quick to make friends and loves pancakes, baked chicken and strawberries. Rachel has earned some nicknames around our house - Rae, cocinelle, peanut butter, RB-girl and most recently, Flipper. Rachel asks lots of questions (the other day while we were driving she asked how I thought my life would be different if I had been born black...) and she studies the answers only to create more questions. Rachel's favortie color is green and she's a picky eater. She is determined, goal-driven, and idealistic. She is one of those kids that can while away an afternoon in a daydream perfectly content. She likes to ride her bike and is thrilled to be changing schools next year to middle school. Rachel wants to be an artist when she grows up. I think she'll be a great artist and I will be right behind her - nagging her to do her work and cheering for her accomplishments. Go Rae - I love you.