Minutes after finishing Sunday dinner, I was bombarded with the same question:

Can you come play with us?

“Of course I can,” I replied, and off we went, down the stairs into the

playroom

family room

Larry Bird room

Man’s room

…   all the same place – but usually called “the basement” by you.

This time, I got smart.  Before joining in games of “dog catcher,” “knee hockey” baseball, and who knows what else, I gathered all of you up and said:

Before Papa can play, I need a photo of all of you together, looking at the camera.  Can you do this for me?

As soon as I finished speaking, you all gathered together around the sofa! I was amazed to see my seven samurai grandchildren do this without hesitation, without any crying, complaints or lack of cooperation.  It was amazing!  Getting a photo of you altogether with everyone looking at the camera at the same time is no small feat.

Thanks for cooperating, I love it!

Notice how almost everyone in this photo is doing something special? Camden is acting like a Red Sox player, Ainsley and Molly are playing dogs, Madigan is sticking her tongue out and Emma is pointing at Shrek who she added to the seven samurai group photo Ben and Jack are the only ones without special poses!

When you were little and lived with us you would often put on a show, using the green outer carpet strip in the Great Room as your “balance beam.”  As we’d watch, you’d bend your body into every imaginable position, spin around, lift legs and arms and work hard to stay on the beam.

At the beach every summer, for years now, you’ve enjoyed walking & balancing on the driftwood logs I line up in a straight row, followed by flat-topped rocks and boards.  That’s your beach balance beam.

You’ve always been coordinated, climbing everything at a young age (something your sister inherited from you) and fearless, unafraid to be upside down or moving fast.

Despite having the talent and interest, you haven’t been involved in any gymnastics class or school for a couple years.  That’s why I was happy when you told me you were now going to gymnastics at UNH in Durham, with Lucy from across the street, one of your best friends.

Hooray!

Grammy and I enjoyed seeing you do your thing at a recent gymnastics show at UNH. Despite having many parents  and guests there taking in the show, you were undeterred and unafraid, proud to display what you had learned.

Keep up the great work Ainsley and stick with it!

While we were watching Camden play soccer at the indoor field in Hampton, you and Madigan and a friend spent some time on the six inch ledge above the high five foot hard laminated wood wall, sitting there, fidgeting there, with me helping you up and down. Over and over.

One time after helping you down, you soon said:

papa, lift me up! i want to get back up there.

I said, “try getting up there on your own.”

You looked at me, not saying a word.  I could tell the wheels were in motion and you were entertaining the idea.  You might have been surprised I had said that, but I had challenged you to do something you hadn’t thought possible.  Then I saw the determination come into your face – and I knew you were going to try. You didn’t have to say a word.

At first you placed your fingers on top of the wall and tried to pull yourself up.  But it was too high, too hard, too impossible.

You thought about it.  I said “you can do it Ainsley, you have to make your mind up that you can do it and then you will.”

Even more Ainsley Beaupre determination crossed your face.  I could tell you would try again and said “Why don’t you give it a running start? That might help.”

In a flash you moved backwards, 10 feet or so away from the wall.  You paused, silent as you always are when you’re ready to tackle something new, studying the challenge before you, eyes on the prize.   Then you took off, running full speed at the wall, your fingers reaching up for the six inch ledge at the top.

The added motion and momentum helped and so did the little bounce jump takeoff move you made at the base.  Your fingers grabbed the top and you pulled your body up.  You tried really hard, and got your body about half way when your fingers released and your feet hit the floor.

“Try again,” I said, “you can do it.  You have to want it bad.  Do it Ainsley!!”

You backed up again and launched yourself at the five foot wall.  This time, instead of just trying to pull your body straight up with all the dead weight, you decided to swing your feet in an upward sideways motion.  This created more momentum as your fingers held tight and pulled upward.  It started to work, and this time you were three quarters of the way up the wall before crashing back to earth.

In a flash you were 10 feet back again, eyes squinting at the prize, an even fiercer determination crossing your face.   “This time will be the charm,” I said to myself.

Sure enough the combination of sprinting, holding, jumping and even more leg motion  gave you an added boost.  You could sense victory was at hand, and seconds later it was.  You were able to swing your right leg onto the ledge and pull yourself up high. Soon the left leg followed and you were poised at the top of the wall, beaming.

“Way to go Ainsley,” I said.  You were proud of yourself, but that wasn’t enough.  Soon you jumped down, this time all by yourself without help from me.   And then I watched as the Ainsley Rocket Girl zoomed again toward the wall to conquer it another time. You did.

Once again, you jumped down, did it again, making it three times in a row.

I said “I wonder how many times you can do it before Camden’s game ends.”  There were about five minutes left. A new challenge had been created.  You loved the idea of upping your game even more.  Zoom. Zoom. Zoom.

Six times perched at the top of the wall.

You were starting to get tired, but took a deep breath, eyeing the wall with impunity and total confidence.   You rallied, trying it four more times, getting to the top each time.

10 times.

You were pooped, but proud.  So was I!

Buzzzzzzzzzzzz.  Camden’s game ended.

You had gone from an impossible dream to a possible reality, all because you made up your mind, took on a big challenge and never gave up.

That’s the Ainsley who will accomplish great things in her lifetime.

I finally got lucky!

Every time I try to take a picture of you, especially at our Sunday dinner, you hide under the table!  you may be sitting there, but by the time I climb up and look down, you’re gone!

That’s why this photo is special, you didn’t escape!

Every two years, we visit the Portsmouth “Festival of Trees” during the Christmas holidays.  Our experience always includes:

1. People, lots and lots of people!  It’s always packed; the lines to see the decorated trees are very long and the parking lot is jammed packed.

2.  C-C-C-C-old!  Its always bone-chilling cold!  This year was no exception, for the first time ever we skipped the first house trees because the wait outside was brutally, bone-numbingly freezing. The adults mind it more than the kids!

3. Your partners in crime!   You always have a blast running around with your cousins. Everyone’s in a good mood, zipping, skipping, taking everything in!

4. Yummy # 1!   the free chowder always warms us up, at just the right time.

5.  Making a decision!  It’s always fun to decide which tree – out of dozens and dozens of decorated trees –  is our personal favorite.  Once we decide, we take our wooden popsicle “voting stick,” drop it in the container by our chosen tree, and cast our vote.  It’s more fun than voting for the President of the United States!

6.  Yummy # 2!  After an hour or two of tree viewing and bearing the cold, it’s always wonderful to go to the Japanese Steakhouse.  The chef cooks our food in front of us, making volcanoes out of stacked onions, lighting surprisingly hot fires and flipping food into our mouths (we try to catch things, but usually don’t).

Hooray for the 2013 Festival of Trees, one of our favorite nights during the holidays!