My Sweet Girls

Last night I was lying in bed thankful for my family.  I feel very aware of how blessed I am.  There is much to be thankful for, and today I am thankful for my girls.  I have the privilege of being their mama.

One of the things that makes me very thankful is that they are just normal.  Normal little girls.  They are extraordinary to me, but to most they are just normal or average.  I am good with that.  In the past I think I wanted them to be above average, the smartest, the tallest, the best swimmer.  Recently I have thought I just want them to be kind.  Kindness is a wonderful virtue to possess, and it is also a work and fruit of the Holy Spirit's work in their lives.  Who cares if you a genius and a jerk?  And the likelihood of my children (or their friends) being a genius is slim...I mean, how many geniuses are there in the world?

Let me say, my girls have moments...sometimes hours.  But overall I think my girls are very kind, and it is wonderful to watch.  Annelise is so aware of children who are littler than she is.  When kids are over to our house she watched out for the little ones.  If they loose their sippy cups, she finds them.  She shares her toys with them and includes them in her play.  I think that is rare for a 3 year old.  HC does the same thing too.  Our neighbor's little boy is almost 2 and they love to play with him and pick flowers for him, and share their swings with him.  It is impressive.

They are so kind to each other...most of the time.  I love watching them play and fight and make peace.  I love watching them think of the other one first.

I am reading this book, "When Children Love to Learn" by Elaine Cooper.  It is actually required reading for the school that we will send HC to in the fall.  The book is an overview on Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education.  Mason was a British educator in the early 1900s and is brilliant.  I love her heart for teaching children and I am SO thankful that my children will get to attend a school that has embraced her philosophy...like all children are created in the image of God, and children should have lots of time to run and play outside, and children should have lots of access to living books (not textbooks).

Reading this book has just helped me to think through how I think about my kids.  Not that I have to choose between them being smart or kind, but just realizing in 10 years no one is going to care if they learned to swim at age 3 or at age 9.  No one is going to care if they started waking at 9 months or at 18 months.  No one is going to care if they learned to read at age 5 or at age 7.  But they will likely care if my child is kind.  Hopefully we are on the road.