Big Kids Are Awesome

When I look back at pictures of Kara, I miss spending my days with that little cutie pie.  She was absolutely precious!  She used to let me snuggle with her and kiss her cheeks as long as I wanted.

But she was a lot of work.

I had to do everything for her, and all you parents out there reading this know exactly what I mean when I say she UNDID everything I did for her.  Don't get me wrong, I spent my days taking care of her with a love I never thought I'd ever feel, but....it made me tired.

Now she's old enough to brush her own teeth, clean her own room, clean her own bathroom, and do her own laundry.  Heck, she can stay home alone now while I go to a nice dinner with Michael!  I'm pretty much in maintenance mode when it comes to the physically taking care of her part.  (Don't get me wrong, there are days when I ask her when the last time she washed her ears was and she honestly can't remember because it's been so long.)

At almost 5 feet tall, I let her sit in the front seat while we
are just driving around town.  I just make sure she adjusts
the seat so the belt crosses her chest, not her neck.

Now we're on to the emotional stuff.  And while we are entering into some interesting times, thanks to puberty, I still think Kara is pretty awesome.

I miss the days when I could dress her in cute little outfits.  Now she wants to be in pjs or ill fitting sweatpants.  I miss when I could get her in dresses or the color pink/purple.  I miss the days when I could take pictures of her and her cute belly in the tub.  I miss the days when she pronounced things incorrectly and it was ADORABLE.  Things are pronounced correctly now, no more pictures throughout the day of her being super cute.  If I do try to take her picture, she scrunches up her nose and ruins it on purpose.  At least she's not making that AWFUL duck face!  Lord, please let that fad go away as soon as possible.  No one looks good with it.

But now, we have really fun and interesting conversations.  Like, the other day we were saying how amazing it is that the moon's rotation and revolution are exactly the way they are so that we can always see the same side of the moon.  Why didn't God want us to see the other side?  He does everything on purpose, so what was the reason?  Was it another thing that is exactly precise that would lead us to Him?  After Kara and I went back and forth with intellectual ideas, she said, "maybe that's where all the unicorns live."  lol!  We laughed so hard.  I love when she has a grown up sense of humor.

Don't get me wrong, she is totally nine years old and her weirdo sense of humor comes out - especially with other nine year olds.

But talking with her on this new level is so awesome.

Today during the Grinch, when they said his heart grew three sizes that day, she said, "I thought it was dangerous to have an enlarged heart."  lol!!!

Today I had my hands full as I was walking down stairs and without a word, she took some things from me to lighten my burden.  Amazing.

I come into the living room (we have no dining room in the rental house) to find her dishes in the sink 99% of the time.

She doesn't leave clothes all over the floor (except socks!).

She likes watching movies with me (we're watching Rio right now).

When she's sick, she likes just chilling in her bed and entertaining herself.  All the while she eats/drinks/takes the meds I tell her to.  And it makes her feel better (imagine that!)

She is old enough to talk about the news with.  Her heart is compassionate for those being killed by terrorists.  She can't fathom why people would ever want to hurt another person.  We can discuss how this is a fallen world.  We discuss the faith we are to have that God is in control, and balance that with feeling powerful and working for the government to stop bad guys.

She loves God with an open heart.  Every time she learns something new that is so complicated for adults - the trinity, how God can be holy yet approachable, etc - she totally accepts it, it makes sense to her, and she doesn't need proof.

She is a selfless friend, the animal whisperer, she loves with her whole heart, she puts her all into riding horses - something that definitely does not come easily to her and requires a lot of hard work, she has a great balance of self confidence with humility, and she really knows who she is.

I remember a time when I was taking care of this sweet one - when I was in the thick of diapers, laundry, toys, etc.  I was asked what my hobbies were - not only did I not have any, I didn't even know what they used to be.  I lost myself in motherhood.  In mommy-hood.  I had to figure it out all over again.

Not Kara.  She had an assignment to find 5 things that define her, and she had her list complete in less than 5 seconds.  She knows who she is, and I hope it stays that way.

I have no idea what she will be when she grows up.  She is very intelligent and school comes easy to her.  In fact, so do computers and anything creative.  Anything intellectual at all is second nature for her.  With so many things coming so easily to her, the sky is the limit.  She could be president, she could be the next Bill Gates, she could be the next Billy Graham, who knows?

Honestly, what I really want is for her to be happy and shine Jesus' light as brightly as she does now.