On being timid...

I think that some children are more inclined to be shy.  Grace is my timid one.  She's far more reserved than my other three children, and yet she's very perceptive.  She can pick up on social cues and remove herself from uncomfortable situations easily.

We went to quite a birthday party, a My Little Pony party, this past weekend. There were the most creative crafts. "Get your Cutie Mark" and "Dress Like a Pony."  The little girls played "Rainbow Dash Dash" and "Apple Jack Water Balloon Pass." She didn't play any games or do any of the crafts until we'd been there for about two hours. The party lasted two and a half hours.  Bless her sweet little heart. She came out of her shell about 30 minutes before we had to leave.  She decided to dress up as Twilight Sparkle and ride a pony. She managed to get in a lot of fun before it was time to go.

I don't mind that she's shy.  I don't mind if she wants to stay close to me, to Deron, to her siblings.  She's growing up so fast, and I don't want to push her to be something she's not.  Right now, she's trying to learn how to be herself, and herself is a little shy.  It won't last forever.

Fall

Critter catchin'

Beaches

Beaches and pools and rain... That pretty much sums up our summer vacation. Back in May, we went to Amelia Island in Florida for vacation. These are a few pics I took while soaking up the sun on the beach.  The kids loved every second of our time there.  After we got home, it rained for the next six weeks, or so it seemed...

It was difficult to watch the kids test their skill on those boogie boards.  They would always go a little farther out than I was comfortable with.  They'd push their independence a little more every day.  I think I finally got the point across that the ocean rip tide was stronger than they were and that just because they could swim didn't mean the ocean wouldn't carry them away.  I would do the head count constantly and wonder if all the other mothers on the beach were doing the same thing.  I would get up to call one of my daredevils back a little closer to me when I'd see them look up, search for me, and smile.  They were being careful or trying to be careful.  They would always look up as if laying their eyes on us gave them confidence that they were okay and that we were there and that we were watching over them.

I think it's like that with our Lord.  When we keep our eyes on Him, there's a special peace we have that surpasses our understanding.

I want my kids to be confident, capable, and independent, but it's hard to watch them move closer toward letting go. Lately, I've heard the words, "I can do it" or "I know how" all the time. It's hard on a mama...Bittersweet, really.

A little girl I babysat when I was a teenager...she's actually my Hannah's namesake...just got engaged to be married.  She was a junior bridesmaid in our wedding, and then, I moved away to start a life with my precious husband.  I remember meeting her and she poked her shy head out from behind her mama.  I can still see her face.  I don't know if she could ever know the impact she had on shaping my life.  After all, she was just a little girl, but she was watching me.  She was imitating me.  Wow...the pressure to be something worthy of imitation.  I don't feel like I ever really lived up to the job.  I was growing up, too. There was a time when that sweet Hannah bounced around in dress-up clothes, my clothes actually.  I knew she was busy growing up, and I was busy having children of my own. Looking back, it seems like just yesterday that little girl was a part of my daily life.

And now she's getting married.

I have a feeling I'll be thinking the same thing in a few years when my own children set out on their own.  I'm gonna be a basket case...

Hannah's Baptism

"I feel like God is telling me to join the church.  I feel it in my heart, in my ears, and in my head."

Ethan