It's Easy to Forget

When I was young, I always thought that I would NOT grow up into a fussy adult. I would REMEMBER how important the little things are when you are young and I would let my kids have cookies before dinner and buy them designer jeans and...well, 100 other things that mortified me or frustrated me about being a kid...I would NEVER do those as an adult!

Fast forward 25 years. Life took a little different turn than I thought, and I have no children. Which means that I don't have the opportunity to help them build character by NOT having the newest iPod, iPhone, or whatever it is that the lives of short people revolve around these days. Because at some point in those 25 years, I realized how important it is to tell a child no. To help them understand what is important and how we have to make choices about what we want in life. I am so grateful for all of the lessons that my parents taught me in all the small ways over the years. Thank you!!!

I am lucky because I live close enough to some of my family that I get to be part of the lives of the little munchkins they are raising. One of them is this little cutie. She's much bigger now...almost 5!

This last weekend she and her brother (and mom and uncle and grandparents) came over for dinner. She had a new necklace and she was SO EXCITED to show it to everyone. Her aunt had given it to her and it was shiny and sparkled and made her feel very grown up. As we were putting on shoes to go play outside she said, "Mom! We are going outside and everyone is going to see my necklace and they are going to think it is so pretty!"

That was a sweet moment, and it helped me remember how important the little things really are to a young kid. Such small and simple gestures are so profoundly crucial to them. It is the little hugs and smiles and stories and kisses and bed time back rubs that help them know they are loved.

Right. I would keep up the ramblings, but sometimes my feelings towards these little folks makes me get a little emotional. And it totally ruins the tough-girl reputation I am trying to build at work with these guys when I sit at my desk and cry over pictures of baby girls. Blast.