Darling Daughter!

Yesterday was the last day of school and every year the kids come home with bags of school work that I sort through and decide what gets tossed and what gets kept.  I used to keep just about everything.  However, with four kids times 13 years of school (even more since I also keep stuff from the preschool years) that's a lot of "stuff" and I am working really hard at not being a hoarder!  Anyway, Darling Daughter had three enormous bags filled when she emptied her locker!  I was methodically going through it all last night and I am so glad I did because I came across a poem she wrote about her brother, Stud Boy, this year:

Living in the Shadows
Poem by "Darling Daughter", grade seven

Living in the shadows
Of a boy who exceeds
In everything he tries
And everything he does

Living in the shadows 
Of the boy who does
The most and knows
The most.

Living in the shadows
Of the boy who doesn't
Get in any trouble
Who knows right from wrong
But I do not

Living in the shadows
is hard trying to live up to
What he has left
Trying to do what he has done

But I am me, not him.

I will live in my own shadow
The shadow for those to follow
My knowledge
My words
Will be for those who must 
Live in my shadow

Not my brother who is the boy
Who knows it all and knows
How to use it
But know,

I will live in my own shadow. 

While Stud Boy, who graduates this year and is off to college, is pretty amazing.  Darling Daughter is SPECTACULAR!  Just look at her: she shines so bright and has never been, nor could ever be in anyone's shadow.