ERL, lately

Oh, the things I could write about Evelyn Ruth.

She has recently taken a interest in initials, making long lists of the names of all primary and extended family members and their corresponding initials. For Valentine's Day I made the kids paper mailboxes and wrote their initials on the front, something that just tickled Evie to death. She spent all week reminding us which mailbox belonged to which kid. Charlotte was very impressed.

Her reading skills are really flourishing. I thought this was a "reading house" before, but now that Evie is reading on her own I am constantly encountering piles of books and kids as sweet Evie reads to the little lambkins.

This year we have learned the truth behind the saying "all I really need to know I learned in kindergarten". This is especially true when it comes to friendships. Evie quickly learned that real friends would never call her a zombie because she is missing so many teeth. Real friends are happy people that also make her happy. Real friends laugh with her, not at her-- a very profound conclusion made after a tough day. She still reports on all the drama in class, but luckily she is learning to keep out of most of it and just enjoy "kinder".

Miss ERL is a strong leader, which sometimes (oftentimes?) lends itself to bossiness. As an oldest, bossy child myself, I relate to her way of thinking. Josh, the proverbial middle child, is sensitive to the... influence the oldest can have and occasionally intercedes on Charlotte's behalf when things become too one-sided.

Evie has such a love for the arts. She has a natural talent for movement and is very graceful, always dancing around the house and putting on performances. She even whistles the music while she dances, a talent in itself. She is quite tone-deaf, but we never say anything negative and encourage her to sing as often as she likes. Lately she has been singing a lot of southern gospel music, courtesy of her school's music program. I just love it.

Non-fiction books are a hot commodity around here, especially after her school lesson on charts, tables, and glossaries. Evie even made her own non-fiction book about strange ocean creatures and gave it to her cousin for Christmas. She is so inquisitive, always wanting to know the operations behind everything. Sometimes I feel like I am married to the dad from Calvin & Hobbes, because some of the things Josh tells her are so crazy yet make so much sense. "Well, Evie, the sun sets because hot air rises. The sun's hot in the middle of the day, so it rises high in the sky. In the evening then, it cools down and sets."

That Evie of ours is sweet, clever, creative, methodical, and take-charge all at once and we love her to pieces.