Rob's family

What would Melinda be without music?  She would be a sensitive, thoughtful, caring woman who is super bright and a strong leader.  Recently, I have thought a fair amount about parenting and what our decisions and actions now mean about our children. What if we hadn't nudged and cajoled and supported her music?  What would she have become? This year, I have seen Melinda the leader.  She decided that she wanted to be marching band clarinet section leader.Tough competition - she's a junior in a sea of seniors. She decided she wanted it, and went for it.  "What about drum major?  You could do that."  No.  She wanted to march, and play.  Those are the things she loves about the activity. My kids compete for the chance to walk the dog in the afternoon (if I'll go (okay, and only if the weather is nice)) On our walks, I get to see Melinda the introspective.  This summer she was all about what she had planned for the section.  Got to get the two freshman up to speed

Incoming Freshman.  Summer school isn't even over yet and already she is ready for school to begin.  Such the social one.  Gretchen wants to receive her schedule NOW so she can discuss it with her friends who are also taking summer classes.  It's important to be able to do that face to face rather than via text or phone.  Once school starts, she wants to do scholastic bowl and student council for extracurricular activities.   Gretchen is a duct taping fiend.  She has strong opinions on what is "quality" duct tape.  Duck brand is good; others - not so much. She read Wuthering Heights this summer and hated it (like her old man (though for different reasons - I didn't like it because it had words, she didn't like any of the characters)).  That was going to be one of her summer reading books for school, but she's switched to "All Quiet of the Western Front" for book one.  She's going to be disappointed with the ending. Not sure what s