In which I brag on my daughter...

Today was a rough day.  There were three separate kid-crises (major ones) to be dealt with at the same time and it was really difficult.  I'm officially blaming it on Mercury going back into retrograde because this day was CRAZY.  The blessing in parenting (if you're lucky and if you choose to see it) is that typically, not every child causes trouble and drama at the same time.  They usually take turns.  Can you IMAGINE if it was all at once?  Holy cow.  So, today three of them at once had major, life-altering issues happening and it would have been very easy to get sucked down the "it must be our total and complete failure as parents" rabbit hole.  It is so easy to beat ourselves up, isn't it?

Well, just when I thought there may be no redeeming this day, God sent me a tiny redeeming moment.  After picking up my youngest from a game she was cheering at, I couldn't get a word in edgewise as we drove home.  She had a lot on her little heart and she was talking a mile a minute.  At first I wanted to interrupted her because there was so much that had happened during the day.

I'm so glad I kept quiet and just listened.

Sometimes our children don't get the praise they deserve.  And tonight, she deserves some praise.  The things she had to say, the enlightenment she was showing.  So mature.  So much WISDOM.  It broke my heart in the most beautiful way.  She has fears of going to high school (among other things).  And the way that she was voicing her concerns in one breath and then in the next working through the issues and giving herself the best advice...I was speechless.  

She has come to the realization that the "popular" kids she used to hang out with are a group that she wants to purposely distance herself from in high school because even though they seem like they would be the happiest, they are actually the saddest and most insecure group of people she knows.  She said, "They need and seek attention and affection in a whole other way than most of us and it isn't healthy."  She then said, "And they don't think like me.  Because I think everything and everyone is beautiful.  Seriously Mom, there is something beautiful to be found in every single place.  Like, look at you right now.  You're so beautiful driving the car and listening to me!  And I'm afraid that not many kids in high school are going to think like me and so they won't like me."

I couldn't be any more impressed with her if I tried.  I'm so impressed I could bust.

I started to tear up and said, "You just need to know that I think you are kind of amazing.  You have just shown so much wisdom, maturity, and kindness and I am so proud to be your mom."  She smiled and said, "I really love our talks lately.  No one else (not even in our family) gets me.  They don't get what I mean when I say, 'I think everyone is beautiful'.  But you do, and I love that."

My cup runneth over.

She really is such a good girl and a cool kid.  I'm so grateful for her and blessed to call her my daughter.

 

xoxo v.