Olivia Margaret

Olivia has been so excited to turn 4. She has asked me several times a week for the last few months "am I four now Mama?" I kept saying not until July 16th, well the anticipation of that day has come and gone so quickly; kind of like how the last 4 years of her little life have gone by for me. I can't help but think that next year when she turns 5 that about 3 weeks later she will be starting kindergarten. Wow, now that is nearly impossible for me to comprehend. Sometimes it seems like our days are slow..playing barbies, my little ponies, her and I playing pre-school, coloring..but really when I stop and think about it time has gone by so fast. She is my side kick always there willing to be my helper or my mess maker either way staying at home with her has been very fulfilling to say the least. Being a parent surely has taught me a lot about my strengths and weaknesses, but mostly it has taught me how to love selflessly. In her book there are no record of wrongs.......sometimes I learn what giving "grace" looks like in situations more from her than anyone. I think one of the neatest/hardest things about being a parent is being able to kneel down to their level and see things thru their eyes with as much imagination and whole heartedness as they are capable of doing. You have to act like you have never seen a yellow bird before...b/c to them it's incredible. Sometimes that's hard to do..but we try. We have been telling her for months that when she turns 4 her taggie has to stay in her room; she has done great with that. Sometimes she disappears and goes into her room..for what she says is to have a few "sucks". Brad and I thought that was going to be a lot more difficult. I pray that God gives me more patience this year, and the wisdom to Shepherd her little heart in away that proves to be uplifting and encouraging to God. Parenting is not for Cowards....I need to read that book! Happy Birthday, Olivia!