"I sigh that kiss you, for I must own, that I shall miss you, when you have grown!" *

I remember vividly the day Ara was born.  She was, like lots of other Terrills, late getting here!  When I saw Harry striding across the playground at Wildrose School where I worked, I knew that the baby had come at long last - and he did not disappoint.  It was a girl - undoubtedly a beautiful baby girl!  (and she was indeed beautiful!)

 

That afternoon, we could not seem to get going fast enough to drive out to Ojai Community Hospital to meet the as yet unnamed little babe. It was so exciting, all of us gathered in the little hospital room, so in awe of this wonderful little creature.

And the years came and went, other grandchildren joined our troupe, but we would always have a special place in our heart for the lovely little girl who made us grandparents! 

 

Visits, Grandma's Birthday Weekends, Christmas and New Year's celebrations, Easter egg hunts, camping trips, train rides, birthday parties, Cousin Camp, shopping excursions, sewing lessons - so much fun and so many good times.

The birthdays came and went, so we knew time was marching on!  And then last year, off to college she went.  And that seemed kind of amazing. It's been fun to correspond and text with this diligent college freshman.  It has been delightful to follow her adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

 

And now she has a mission call - to Russia Vladivostok - the largest mission - geographically - in the church.  She leaves June 1st.  She will learn to speak and read Russian.  She will "go forth to serve" just like the sign says!!

What a blessing to be this young woman's grandmother!

*William Butler Yeats

Happy Birthday Ara Grace!

This young lady is 19 today!  It really doesn't seem possible - since I vividly remember going out to their house and waiting for Bonny and Bruce to bring her home from the hospital!  

 

As I have been scrolling through my photos, I keep finding shots of Ara - she has been such a big part of our lives - it has been very different having her away at school - and will be even more different when she goes on her mission!

 

But it's such an exciting time of life - so glad she has so much to look forward to.

 

Happy Birthday to you, our lovely Ara Grace - the young woman who set the gold standard for grandchildren in the Terrill family!

The lovely Ara Grace - turning 19 in 2 more days!!

Goodness but we were excited to greet the lovely Ara Grace - I can still remember Grandpa walking across the playground at Wildrose School where I was teaching and giving me the wonderful news.

 

Such  a sweet girl - and don't you love the hat??

 

Dancing at Eliza's wedding!  The "little kids" especially loved having a niece of their very own!

 

So many lovely memories - need several days to think about them all - I am really wondering where all the years went!!

Where oh where did the years go??

We are getting ready to celebrate this girl's 19th birthday!!

 

Sounds trite but it's true - the years just fly!

 

And I've quoted it before - and will undoubtedly quote it again - but as the poet Yeats penned, "I sigh that kiss you, for I must own, that I shall miss you, when you have grown!"

 

So exciting to be part of your life lovely Ara Grace!

Senior Soccer Night!

Friday night was "honoring the senior girls on the soccer team night" at Ara's high school.  And Dad and I went.  What a lot of fun!! We, along with her family, got to walk her across the field where she was presented with a bouquet and heard tributes others had written about her.  What a nice tradition!!  And how nice that we were invited!

It's always fun to hang out with the Bolanders!!  There was a basketball game going on too, so we got to go hear Ella singing "The Star Spangled Banner" with 4 other girls from the choir.  They were beautiful!!

And we had pizza and salads from the food truck, and homemade cookies and brownies from the SnackShack!!

Takes me back!

And Ara's team won!!  (1 - 0)

Happy 18th Birthday Ara Grace!

How can this sweet baby girl - the one who made us grandparents - be 18??

A beautiful young woman - inside and out - we love you Ara Grace!!  May the year ahead be full of happiness and joy - and lots of new adventures!!

An early celebration!

An early family celebration for Ara's 18th b-day!!  Where have the years gone??

 

Getting it all down for posterity!!

 

Definitely taller than me!!  There's a special spot for this young lady - the one who made us grandparents for the first time!!

 

8 of the 18!!  (Porter has adopted a no-smiling stance.  We will have to work on that!!)

Happy Birthday Ara Grace!!  We love you!

Happy Birthday Ara Grace!!

17 years ago - so much has happened in the intervening years - for one thing, this sweet little baby has grown into a beautiful young woman.  She made us grandparents for the first time - what a wonderful dream come true!

 

A beautiful young woman who combines some great qualities - beauty, skill, knowledge, intelligence, humility, love - and she knows how to have a good time!!

 

It's always fun to hang out with Ara.

 

At Harry and Dawn's wedding.

 

The famous baby hat - always a lady of style!!

 

Happy day to you Miss Ara - and may the year ahead be the best ever!!

Way to go Ara Grace!!

Be sure to go to Bonny's Blog and check out Ara's recent accomplishments at her middle school promotion ceremony!!

My oh my, that girl makes us proud, doesn't she??

And how can she be in high school since we were just welcoming her to the world??

Happy 14th Birthday - 27 years apart!

Happy Birthday today to our own Miss Ara Grace!! What a happy day her birth was - and I remember it as if it was yesterday!!

Here's Ara with her own monogrammed birthday brownies!! We had dinner at Chez Bonny tonight - and Ara chose the menu: Pink tomato sauce ravioli, organic corn, sauteed kale, sourdough bread, Cesar salad, and sushi prepared especially by Miss Ella!! A feast indeed!

Here's her mom on her 14th birthday. I remember that day because Bonny went and got her hair "bobbed!" Launa Menlove did the honors. Bonny loved the change - and so did I.

And just to keep the comparison going, here's a photo of me when I was 14!

We are certainly all blondes anyway!!

Have a great day and a wonderful year ahead - and have fun at the stake dances too!

Celebrations of one sort and another - and just some fun too.

Ara came for her birthday weekend - nearly six months later!! And she spent it mostly with me because Dad was working. We had a mighty long to-do list, but she not only helped me get the items done, but she kept track and crossed them off as we did them. We finished up the marketing at Von's and she said, "Well, Grandma, that's the last item on our list. They are all crossed off now!" (She is truly her mother's daughter - Bonny too loved order and organization and the sense of getting it all done!)

Friday night we hit the MHS production of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," and it was great - but I didn't think to take any pictures - especially when they tell you "No Flash Photography!" And then on Saturday night she went with me to Scott Card's Eagle Court of Honor. We took Molly both nights and saw other friends from the ward - whom Ara knows from her visits here. (A note here: Scott's dad Troy was one of Dad's Scouts when he was the Scoutmaster in the Monrovia Ward back in the day!!)

On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the Nano Cafe - I'd been wanting to check it out - it's pretty good breakfast food - and pretty good smoothies. Then we hit the stores - I had to get things together for the Young Women Transition to Relief Society, and Ara was a big help. We also shopped for birthday items for Ara - made some fashion finds - perhaps Ara will wear them sometime when I'm sharp enough to take pics of her in them!!

Dad made it home in time to enjoy some "Golf" with Ara and me. We each won one game - then had a final round - which Dad won. Maybe it was "male" luck!!

Once again Ara helped me get ready for the big event - it was on Sunday afternoon. She set up chairs, distributed hymnbooks, carried stuff in, and even did prelude music for us! Nora Graham Koch was our keynote speaker - our theme was "There Are Never Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen."

It's always fun with the Ogilvies!

After we cleaned up from the activity, we headed out to Malibu and enjoyed dinner at Chez Bolander.

Everyone seemed to have zeroed in on their favorite game!!

Soon it was Monday morning - and we know what that's like. Although the students were pretty mellow today - maybe it was the cool, gray, overcast day. I could have this kind of weather all week - just sunshine for the weekends!!

Ara is lots of fun to spend time with - thanks for a great time Ara!!

***************

And here's the "official" birthday celebration shot for Dawn!!

May is really a big birthday month around here!!

Ara Grace - on to the teen years!!

This photo was taken just a few weeks ago, at Isla's blessing. It's a nice little retrospective of the oldest grandchild holding the youngest grandchild. Of course, it will change - and I will have to get a shot of Ara holding the newest grandchild next summer. But it works for now.

Ah, and here she is as the first and only grandchild - and oh how excited everyone was. Only one person gets to be the first grandchild - it's just the way it is. But we are so grateful for Ara and the beautiful young woman she is becoming. She is setting "the gold standard" for those who follow. And she is doing a great job.

Maybe I post this every year, but it's a fave of mine. I love the contrast - the ballerina battling it out with Grandpa at Zim Zam!!

Ara now steps out into the teen years. We are all excited to watch the these years unfold. Enjoy the journey Ara!! Maybe you will let us "consult" now and then!!

more .......

school pix