Girls are so different than boys

My little girl...she's already beautiful in her own little sweet way.  Of course, I would say that, I'm her mom!

I look at her often, and think, Stanley never did things like that.

Like, for example,

• The other morning, I dressed her for church in a cute little curduroy dress, she immediately went to the living room and started twirling around with her arms open wide and a big smile...it's was as if she was saying, "Mommy, I feel beautiful in this!"
• On any given day, you will find her going to the basket of shoes by the door, changing in and out of her shoes.  She looks at them and loves them, and changes them lots of times throughout the day.
• Just today, she was taking on and off her winter hats and smiling big as if she was saying, "I know I'm cute!"
• Just recently, she started pulling out her princess crown, maybe it's because she has watched that Little Sophia show on Disney, it's like something is clicking for her that that little crown is for her.  If we can only instill in her how much of a "princess" she truly is.

But, I have to say Sunday afternoon was my favorite, I was playing one of my favorite songs on the computer.  This girls loves to dance, she can dance fast, she can dance slow.  This particular song is a slower song, so it's just like she intuitively knows it required slower dancing...what does she start doing?  She starts slowing twirling around with her arms held high.  (I would have loved to get a picture of her doing this, but turns out, she stops these spontaneous moments when you turn on the camera!)  She stayed in this "moment" for quite some time (probably because we were just watching her and  not pulling out the camera!).  What was even more symbolic and meaningful to me was the song playing, the words go like this...

Trust You

Aaron Keyes, Pat Barrett, & Matt McMichael

Father of heavenly lights, Fount of wisdom and love

All is laid bare in your sight, You know my ways

I believe you will provide all I need in my life

I will not fear anymore, For I will, ever...

Trust You Jesus, Trust You Jesus, Trust You with my life

V2 You hold the world in your hands, God of mercy and might Knew me before I was born, called me by Name How could I ever respond but to fall and adore I live to know You more, Lord I will, ever...

Trust You Jesus, Trust You Jesus, Trust You with my life

BRIDGE

Let not the wise trust in their wisdom

Let not the strong boast in their might

Let not the rich glory in riches

I will trust You

If you want to listen to this  beautiful song, check it out, the first times I listened to it this summer it  brought me to tears!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ZqwF4eLBc

(I'm not sure I have this sharing a link  thing down but  you can  use your mad computer skills and get there!)

So the twirling around and dancing was cute, but the image it brought to my mind was priceless - the unguarded dancing of my little girl reminding her mommy how to trust Jesus with everything in my life, in our lives - without hesitation, no guards up, just being open to how the music of our lives plays out.  These little ones of mine, they sure do already teach me and us so much.

Now, before you think that Clara is all girl, because she is showing a lot of those qualities, she'll be the first one to play with McQueen and Thomas.  She will often choose a book about CARS and Thomas over others, although she loves her some Minnie.  And, she's a strong little girl, she can hold her own, which I'm proud to see.  Stanley and Clara have their moments, but their sweet moments outweigh their "other" moments - their hugs, their kisses, helping one another, and reaching to hold each other's hands in the van are precious.  Those are the moments that you are reminded that everything else that happens as a parent is worth those little moments, even if some days they feel few and far between.

If she would have been awake one afternoon, she for sure would have been in this picture with Stanley, notice all his little Cars characters beside him.  I'm pretty sure his mind is one big You Tube presentation of his little cars (he for some reason loves to watch these people on You Tube displaying and describing all of their Cars stuff, kinda strange, but we figure there's no harm in it)

Now, have I mentioned my big boy, Stanley (oh, yes I just did!)...well, I had a moment with him today...it was a BEAUTIFUL day outside today, so we spent all afternoon outside playing.  They were dirty, tired messes when we went inside, but content, and afterward, I made our dinner in peace!  Not the point of the story...I'll carry on...our neighborhood is fairly quiet, so I suggested to Stanley that he put his helmet on and ride his bike down the street while I pushed Clara in the stroller.  He, of course, thought it was a great idea!  So off we went, and suddenly, it hit me!  Is it true?  Do I really have a little boy that rides his bike on the road? (not yet alone of course!)  

I remember the days of riding our bikes around our neighborhood in good 'ole Dalton, Ohio.   That feels like just yesterday!  Now, here I am pushing my almost 2 year old daughter in the stroller as my 4 year old rides his bike alongside of me.  I don't want to be too sentimental, but gosh, how did that happen?  Time is just moving right along!  He was super proud of himself riding his bike, making conversation with his mommy, he said, "it's a perfect day out today, Mommy!"  Those are the melt-your-heart kind of moments as a parent - the ones you have to hang on to (because I won't take the time to mention here how much I don't enjoy "nap" time with Stanley right now, he's turned into quite the procrastinator, whenever I can pass that lovely job to Eric, I don't miss the chance!)...so those are my Mommy moments from the last month or so.  I feel like I'm finally really growing into my role as a stay at home mom, which means most days, not all days, I feel like I might just be embracing it and reminding myself that these days will soon be a memory.

Well, that's all for now, blogging right before you go to sleep is not the best idea (I'm learning!) because it wakes me up and gets my mind going when I'm supposed to be preparing to sleep, oh well, as always, thanks for stopping,

Kendra