The Gantt Family: March 2009

Friday, March 6, 2009

'Ode to Briana

How do I love Briana?

Let me count the ways...

1. She's a great dishwasher

2. She can do the dishes

3. She's an awesome washer of the dishes.

I'm just kidding.

I have really been impressed with Briana lately. She is proving that she's growing up and that she is a responsible young lady. She is a great help around the house. She has two nights a week that she cleans the kitchen. (huge help for mom! :D ) And she 'usually' doesn't complain and she's getting so much better at it!! Yay!

She has this friend that used to live here in Michigan that was our neighbor in the townhouse in Silverbooke. Her name is Mano. Her parents moved to Tampa, Florida about 2 & 1/2 years ago and they have remained friends. They talk on the phone all the time, and they email each other all the time- even after all this time. And for 2 1/2 years they have been making plans for Briana to go to Florida to visit. The first two years I have protested this and have always told Briana, "So sorry, you are not flying to Tampa Florida to see Mano". She has persisted. And I persisted right back. And what I thought would be a faded friendship at 10 years old has just been stronger since they've been apart. Now that Briana is a 'tad' bit older, Ronnie told her that if she saved enough money to buy a plane ticket, then she could go. Well, guess what? The child has saved $280.00 in a matter of months. (And that's after she paid her tithing on it all.)

What?? Did she just save enough money to buy a plane ticket? Oh my goodness! Why did Ronnie promise her she could go? (deep breath)

So now what?

She gets to go to Tampa, Florida this summer... that's what! But the twist is... not by herself! (like she thinks) Ronnie has an account in Tampa that he will fly out to see so Briana can go with him so she gets to see her very best long lost friend.

The moral of the story is not to promise your kids something if they have the tenacity to achieve it. Because you have to deliver!!

Actually, I am very proud of Briana. She is a hard worker at everything. At school and at home. She has been babysitting ALOT (obviously). Babysitting jobs just keep falling in her lap for some reason and she's happy to do it. It really has been a blessing to her to have these babysitting jobs. She was in tears last summer wondering how she could earn any money and this year the Lord has answered her prayers. She has had alot of opportunities that she hasn't had to seek out to earn the money she needed. She is one happy girl~ and I'm happy that everything has worked out the way she wanted it to.

Love you, Briana!!

Have Fun in Florida! (with your daddy) haha

More on Gymnastics

This is for all the grandparents- (who love all these little details...)

Last Saturday, Brandi had her third gymnastics meet of the year. I am still learning how to take good pictures and I definitely haven't mastered it yet. So alot of pictures that I took were taken after the cartwheel on the beam, after the landing over the vault, etc. So I didn't post alot of them. But anyway, I'm hoping at the end of this month at her next two meets, I can get some great pictures.

Anyway, Brandi's division is the Eight Year Old Division (until later this month when she turns 9!) But anyway, at this particular meet, there were only three teams instead of the usual five teams and it just so happened that there was only one other 8 year old she had to compete against. But great for her, because she was able to get 1st place in her events! Yay! :) Brandi was happy. She got to stand on the First Place podium holding her First Place ribbons.

2nd place in the hand stand competition.

This picture is of Brandi's teammate. But I posted it because my neighbor has a picture of Brandi in the exact pose and I wanted you to be able to visualize Brandi. (I'm still trying to get her to email me Brandi's picture) But this next picture is of Brandi's landing after fliping over the vault.