Good, Better, Best

There are those small, quiet moments in life that may—just may—go completely unnoticed…

…but sometimes, if you’re very lucky, a loving eye will SEE such a moment, and capture it, holding it tight…save it and share it with you at just the right moment…

Barely 4-year old Chelsea sat at her grandparents’ table…holding a pen tightly in her sweet, chubby fingers…

I remember seeing this happening, but I was not the one to preserve it on film…that was her ever-watchful grandmother…I lost the moment in my mind until that same good grandmother gave me a little gift last month…

“Would you like to have these?”, she asked me, while handing me an envelope and two small photographs…the picture memory came flooding back as I sat there in the very same room my sweet girl sat so many years ago…

Chelsea had been quietly practicing her name, over and over again on the envelope for her Daddy’s birthday card that year…isn’t that wonderful?

She was so proud of her efforts!  And so were we—always trying, always learning, always practicing…that’s always been our Chelsea…

{beautiful bow die-cut from Vicki Chrisman…see below}

Two weeks after this simple gift was given, I found myself remembering it with tears in my eyes as I sat in the enormous university coliseum, waiting for my daughter to parade in with thousands of her class who would be graduating that day…

 

That same little girl who held pen tight in those chubby little fingers now teaches many little ones to proudly hold pen in hand and do the same…

A teacher.  I couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect for this oldest daughter of mine…

  {this was my sweet girl blowing me a kiss as she jumped for joy after graduation…my heart is STILL jumping for joy…}

 {a new page made to celebrate my daughter…complete with my very own homemade tassel!} 

And for the icing on the cake that day, my photographer daughter, Sarah, brought this picture with us from home…

…a picture of me and my parents on my graduation day from the same university…24 years to the week earlier.  The same spot was found, a similar picture memory was taken…

What a wonderful day!

“Good, better, best--

Never let it rest,

Till your good is better

And your better is BEST!”

Remember that, Chelsea?  The quote that hung on our wall to celebrate the beginning of each new and exciting school year?  You took it to heart…it became part of you—and that’s exactly what you have done…each and every day…and I know you will continue to do so, each and every day………………………

 

We are so very proud of you…

Love, 

Mom

{Fabulous bow die-cut from the amazingly creative mind of Vicki Chrisman—available HERE.  It was stamped using Crafty Secrets’ “Flourish” stamp set.  Lovely blue vintage background print from Crafty Secrets’ “Creating with Vintage Patterns” CD.}

The “Cap and Gown” and adorable vintage graduate girl graphics were given me by one of the greatest collectors and lovers of vintage I know…thank-you, Sandy!

LiveJournal Tags: Chelsea Campbell,graduation,Crafty Secrets,Vicki Chrisman,bow