Lost on Mars

Last night my husband and I went to parent/teacher conferences for our three oldest children.  I'm not going to use this platform to brag, but um, our kids are pretty amazing.  Honestly, I just couldn't be more proud.  The days when I feel like I'm failing at every possible thing to do with parenting, I'm going to remember this night.

Are my kids perfect and have nothing to work on or improve upon? Of course not.  But I was grateful to hear that they are "nice" kids, "thoughtful" kids.  I was nearly knocked over in shock when I saw how clean Lucy's desk was.  

And then there was Lucy's third grade self-assessment.  

Under the "Follows instructional directions" she gave herself a 3 out of 4.  Her reason was this: Sometimes I get lost on mars and wander to a different world.

In that moment, I felt closer to my little girl than ever before. I wanted to scream "Yes, exactly!"   I know this getting lost on Mars idea.  I know this scattered imaginative mind she describes.  I understand how hard it can be to come back from other worlds and concentrate and focus and follow directions.

Even though it can be beyond frustrating trying to work with a wandering brain, I pray she never stops wandering or wondering.  I hope she uses her gift of getting lost on Mars for good someday.  

Lucy spends much of her time with her nose in a book reading about other worlds, ideas and stories.  Everywhere we go (and at every one of her brothers' games) she has a bag of books with her at the ready.

I spent years (and sadly still do sometimes) apologizing for not being able to accept the party line, fall in place, act accordingly, walk a straight line. I wish I would have embraced all that not-fitting-in-ness/right brain/wonderment earlier in life.  

Creativity, day-dreaminess didn't help me much with multiple choice/memorization testing that is the truth.  I do hope Lucy can find a balance with all of that and succeed in school.  But I also hope she embraces that same day-dreaminess and enjoys it because oh, the places she'll go.