This afternoon I was helping in Ada’s classroom.  At the end of the day we went outside for recess.  She was being silly on the monkey bars, and looked up at me while she was hanging upside down.  She said, “Mom, I like the way I am.  I’m glad God made me like this.”  She was very matter-of-fact, just enjoying the afternoon sunshine and the ability to hang upside down and have fun.

Oh sweet Ada, I’m glad God made you like this too.  You make me smile every day.  You confuse me and stretch me as a mom, and you are more stubborn than many adults I know, but I accept this challenge to guide you and mold that stubbornness because I know that one day you will do great things.

And today after school, Grace came home to confess that she had, once again, stolen candy from her piano teacher.  She is a repeat offender – stealing candy from the piano teacher, the store, our candy stash – and she hides candy under her pillow.  But today was different.  She calmly came and told me that she took candy from her piano teacher, but before her piano lesson was over she had confessed, returned the candy, and apologized.  THIS has never happened before.  She also said her teacher already knew about it.  She then said something I have never, ever heard from my emotional, anxious child: I’m ready for my consequence.  There were no tears, no deep breaths, no hands over her eyes, no head hanging low, no stomping, nothing.  She told the truth and was ready for what would come next.  It was incredible.  I told her I was proud of her for telling her piano teacher the truth, for telling me the truth, and for accepting that there would be a consequence.  (Catch them doing good!!)

Grace, Grace, Grace.  I know that your heart is big.  I know that your heart is tender.  I hope these things never, ever change about you.  The challenge to guide your emotions is a large one, but I accept it nonetheless because there is no one else.  God chose daddy and I to do this, because He knew that the we could do it as long as we kept clinging to Him for wisdom.  You will most likely stretch me more than the other two kids, and for that I thank you.  I can’t wait to see the woman you become, and I have no doubt that you will one day adopt those Haitian orphans you so often speak of.