Roots and Wings

Just before Lilly Kate was born, I found the above photo and quote by Anne Geddes. I fell in love with it and immediately purchased a copy for her room! And.. it's still there to this day! I just found it to be so true and honest. It's exactly what I hoped and prayed for my sweet baby girl.

Quite honestly, I haven't given it much thought since. I've become more focused on other goals for my kids.. a good education, a good balance of discipline, activities, teaching her to makes friendships and be a good person.. you know, the usual! But the other day, this quote sort of smacked me in the face again!

You see, LK has been getting into a little bit of trouble lately at school. Nothing big, just a lot of talking and socializing. (yes, she's only in Kindergarten, so i see the trend that's already starting!!! OH BOY! ha!) Her teacher and I were talking and she told me that Lilly is just a ball of energy and that she's friends with everyone in her class, so there's just no good place to put her without her talking to her neighbor. Of course, as a mother, I immediately worried about her getting into so much trouble. I wanted it to stop! I wanted her to understand that there is a time to talk and a time not to talk! As I started telling her teacher that we were trying new discipline techniques to try to get her attention on the matter, she quickly stopped me. She said what is quite possibly the most amazing compliment for both me and LK that I've ever received....

She told me not to be so hard on Lil for talking so much. Yes, she needs to know when and where to talk, but really just so she doesn't miss class lessons and fall behind on her work. She told me that there is a fine line with LK. She told me that LK is one of the most self-confident children she's ever seen and we have to be careful not to break her spirit. Apparently, when Lil was Star of the Week, she got up in front of her entire class and sang a song.. THAT SHE WROTE! I was blown away. When I was Lilly's age, I was painfully, ridiculously shy. There is NO WAY on earth that I would have done that! Mrs. Jeffrey told me that I should be proud of my "never-met-a-stranger-take-on-the-world-head-on" little girl. She told me that whatever I've done as a Mom has been incredible for Lilly Kate. To be honest, I dont think I've done anything special as a Mom. I think this is all just part of who Lilly Kate is. I've known from Day 1 that she was a special creature. She came into the world on her own terms (5 weeks early and perfectly healthy!) and has made her own path along the way. She does not conform and does exactly WHAT she wants WHEN she wants! She's level-headed, imaginative, carefree, smart and at the same time, tinderhearted, kind and loyal. Now, I know that she will be the type of girl who can stand up in front of anyone and have her say, do what's right and never back down. Most people would give anything for the type of self-confidence that this girl posesses! (i know i would!) Her teacher told me that she sees great things in LK's future and that what LK posesses is what she hopes for most with her own girls. And that the last thing I should be worried about is LK talking too much and having too many friends. :)

I almost cried while Mrs. Jeffrey was telling me all the wonderful things about my child. I knew that it wasn't me who was a perfect mom.. lord knows, I struggle every day to be better and better. But I knew that I had just gotten lucky. God decided to let me have this incredibly little being and I'm just lucky enough to call her MY little girl.

So, right then and there, I knew that my goals had changed. Yes, I still have the sames ones that I mentioned above, but they've shifted just a little. I've gone back to just before birth and to the quote...

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the other, wings."

My main goal now.. NEVER break her spirit! Do everything in my power to further instill that self-confidence. With that she can back away from drugs, she can say no to pre-marital sex, she can graduate from med-law-or whatever school she wants to go to, she can lead a board room and be confident. Without that... she has nothing.

My main goal is to give her the wings to make her fly and provide the roots, so she always knows where God is and where Home is!

Am I a lucky Mom or what?! I wake up everyday and I thank God for letting me get to have this wonderful little girl in my life!