Happy 12th, Addie!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADDIE!!!!

The weekend was so crazy that I don't think that I let the date of today sink in very well. My first born child is twelve, today!!! Addie is such a blessing to me. She made me a mom, but it goes way beyond that!!! 

Last night at her dance recital, I just took it all in, watched my little girl bloom and enjoy the passion of her very soul....dance. Addie just started dancing a year and a half ago! She took a few weeks of classes when she was a toddler, but then she didn't love it, so I saw no sense in it at the time. But then it hit her! She took her first class, a jazz class, last year, and she came out of the very first class saying, "Mom, I have found my favorite thing in the world!" 

I cannot express how happy I am to have a child with a passion. I believe a child without a passion in something is a life so open to society's temptations, evils, and the world's call to vanity, negativity, and eventually the pull into a big ruts in life's roads. I know that we cannot force our kiddos to have a passion. But we can give them opportunities to explore things they think they may like. God blessed me by having Addie tell me what she wanted to try and then allowing her to root that passion in hard work and dedication where it has grown tremendously. 

I often hear people say of their parents, "If I can be half the person my mom/dad is.....," and I say this about both of my parents almost daily, but Addie makes me say that about HER!!! I pray I can be half the Christian lady that my daughter has become.

Just this past week while I was off at appointments with Garrett, Grouchy called me to tell me he didn't see Addie in the house, so he went to look in her room. He had assumed she was playing on her Kindle Fire or something like that but nope. "Addie, what are you doing?" Grouchy asked.
Addie's reply was, "Studying the Bible."
Wow. Just wow.

I look forward to watching this butterfly soar wherever she wants to soar. We will enjoy watching God's plans unfold in her life. I am honored to be in her life!!!

Godspeed,
CL