What a week!

We started the week with another session with the counselor. Amber is learning how to deal with things that overwhelm her in a more positive light. I am starting to see some skills the doctor has taught her emerge in her daily life, and have been impressed by her 'handling' of situations that felt like they could have sent her over the edge... as they would have months ago. We've come a long way, but still have a long way to go.

It amazes me to watch her grow into a mindful, empathetic young person. She has logic, and reason, and questions things. We are raising her to be a free thinker. One who is aware. One who questions, respectfully, on a path to the truth - one she finds on her own.

On the path to enlightenment with my daughter, our conversation tonight focused on a parable. Lesson learned, as summarized by my 7 year old: "the only thing we ever REALLY know is that we don't know everything." yes. Yes my dear. that is correct. that was exactly the point of the parable.

Business is booming for the Pile Household. Both of our businesses are on a hot streak. Things are looking up, and the top is not in sight. Change of scenery makes all the difference!

progress and meltdowns

Ah, today.... could have been a good day. We discussed the progress Amber was making, as we were sitting with the doctor... all great signs of growth in the face of adversity. We had to leave camp early today, as the appointment was at 4. When we returned to pick up a friend, Amber was informed that her group of friends, that had all formed a club under her leadership.... well... they flew the coup in her absence and all joined other groups or formed new groups. I am watching her face in the rear view mirror the entire time... knowing all to well what is to come, and I feel the pain for her. "you can be in OUR club... and be Vice President" the little girl tells her... "we make sandcastles on Wednesdays"..... no, amber says I do not want to be in your club, MY club makes sandcastles on Mondays. all in all, the whole idea of the group sounds pretty petty... but the keen observation is this:

1. Amber, though highly disappointed, is keeping her cool, visibly upset by the outcome, but composed enough to survive the car ride home, all the while being reminded that non of her friends are in her club any more.
2. Her friends that 'left' to join the 'sassy girls' (aka mean little shits) probably didn't need to be in her club in the first place.
3. Amber is a natural leader, and in her absence the weaker girls fell back, and would most likely return apon her arrival at camp tommorrow.

I think we have survived, amber seems to have shaken it off, and wants to go swimming with the friend, so off they go. When I pick her up from the pool, she mentions the club, and I told her "no matter what, I will ALWAYS be in your club".... and the floodgates open. she is sobbing so hard that she is gagging on the snot running down her face. "But I made 1/2 the girls president and 1/2 the girls vice president while I was gone and they just QUIT...." she says... "its not FAIR... no one is in my club except you...." "I let EVERYONE be in my club, and now they are all in different clubs, and I have no one" this goes on for an hour or two, until I finally get her to remember how many cool friends she has that will always be in her club, and that if the other girls don't want to be in the club, that is fine. Your other club goes all year, not just for a few weeks out of the year, and then falls apart when you go home an hour early! Think about all the people who can't wait to see you again! They are still your friend the next day... right? Those are real friends.

Tomorrow morning might still be a struggle... and I hope that the balance of power levels out before she's gone for 2 weeks.... I can't handle the thought of this carrying over... it took everything in my being to not break down and cry with her... she has to learn such hard lessons so young! (or is she just getting that old?)

ugh.... I'm starting to think maybe having a boy won't be so hard!

Vacation.... part deux

Amber made a princess sand village, complete with a mall with gowns for the ball, and houses for poor people....(her words)
Ahhh.. nothing like your toes in the sand!
I-10 was shut down for a few hours, so we stopped in Alabama at the Sam's Warehouse sized fireworks store.... $200 bucks later, Amber became the most popular kid on the beach when we were handing out fireworks to her new friends... we got tired of shooting them all! some were like the ones you see at the city fireworks show!
I had to take this picture, as we have a similar one from when Amber was about 4 years old...gamma has it hanging on her wall!





So we had to take another vacation... Amber didn't get to go on the first one, so we loaded up the car and took a trip with the whole family (even Thor got to go) down to Destin Florida for the 4th of July!


We got a condo on the golf course, across the street from the beach. Beautiful white sands and turquoise waters, similar to the view that our wedding beach had... but sunsets weren't on the water, and the beach was rather small, comparatively. Still a beautiful trip.

We had so much fun! Morgan bet Amber she couldn't remember everything she did, so she started listing it.... and five minutes later STILL had not named all of the activities! She really did turn into a fish while in Florida, boogie boarding, body surfing, wave jumping, snorkeling - even had a small run in with a jelly fish and some sting rays while in town. As soon as we got to the beach, she took off, running in circles, dancing around like a kite in the wind... that child is starting to get the same recharge from the ocean breeze that Morgan and I do!
yummy crablegs.. right on the beach on the 4th of july... after dinner, we walked down the stairs, and set up 'camp' for the sunset and upcoming fireworks display! we had two large shows going on (one on each end of the beach) as well as our own. As Amber declared: This was the BEST 4th OF JULY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!