Dear Reese and Ella

I've decided to start something new and to do it regularly on here, similar to the "random updates on a Monday". It will be called "dear Reese and Ella". I want them to know what I am thinking (Neal too if I can get him to write a few lines) and feeling about them on a regular basis, maybe yearly.

So here goes the 1st one.

I recently read a Jen Hatmaker book and she does a whole chapter called dear kids, this is what inspired this. I loved every part of it and thought about how much her kids will love looking back on it one day. Her number one goals for her kids is to be kind, be you and love Jesus. I am going to shamelessly steal that as my ultimate goals for you Reese and Ella.

Without kindness we have failed as parents. I desperately want you to be kind to everyone. I want you to win people's hearts for the Lord because they see your kindness and know there is something different about you and want that for themselves. I want you to love the lonely, hurt and afflicted as you grow up causing them to feel valued and appreciated and in return gaining so much yourself from those relationships. Growing up years will be hard. Being a girl in the midst of a "mean girl" culture we seem to live in will be hard and the last thing I want is for my children to be the ones making it harder for anyone else. You both are such kind and empathetic souls. Reese is often reporting of helping someone at school and Ella recently asked why some people don't have homes and if we could just let them all come live with us since we have a house. Oh sweet, sweet girl how I wish it was that simple. I hope and pray that you continue to grow into kind people who see hurting people and do not ignore them. I also hope that I do a better job of this as well.

I never want you to try to be anyone other than who you are. You will never be happy pretending to be something other than yourself. The desire to be liked and popular during the growing up years will likely be there. You both have so much to offer just as you are and I really hope you do not attempt to change who you are. You are both so amazing and most will love you just as you are...you won't need the others if they are trying to influence you to be something you are not.

Love Jesus with everything you are. You are His and He has your future in His hands. I trust this fully and hope that you will too. There are so many things I worry about when it comes to you two but I too need to and try to give these things to Him. He loves you more than your dad and I do and that absolutely boggles my mind because we love you two more than I ever imagined was even possible. 

Reese, you are so loving, caring and full of life. You are so stubborn and I know exactly where you get it from 😬. You are incredibly passionate and you love your friends so well. You are a bit dramatic and you don't often pick your battles, you fight them all...although you are beginning to pick more as you are getting older. You have lots of dreams and plans. You actually love to plan. You are completely unreasonable when you are hungry or tired and I definitely know where that came from. You are so much like me it isn't even funny and I believe that is why we butt heads at times but I love you more than you can imagine and these things will all serve you well one day (once you learn to be a bit more rational in your reactions).

Ella, you are so funny. You have comedic timing and wit that probably came from your dad more than me. You are sweet and funny and you love to snuggle, please always love to snuggle. You have such a tender spirit and we hardly have to discipline you for doing something wrong. When we do you often beat yourself up for what you did for far longer than you should. We are working on how to navigate this because you are such a sweet tender hearted girl that doesn't deserve the punishment you often put on yourself. You love your family (including the dogs) better than anyone I know. You are very prissy and princess loving but have recently become very interested in superheroes. You are so laid back and easy going and it is very easy for most anyone to get along with you. I am so in love with you and thankful for your sweet spirit.

You are both amazing and I am blessed to be your mother!

Little daters

Neal tries to take each girl on a date a couple times a year. These girls look forward to this time with their daddy!

Ella's date was last night and she has been talking all week about how excited she is and how her date is going to bring her flowers. He did not disappoint and rang the doorbell with yellow flowers in hand, her favorite color. She picked her clothes and I put a little make up on her and curled her hair, for the very first time. When she came home she was beaming and had so many details to tell me about. They went to Chick fil a, Chuck e cheese, Big Lots and Maggie Moo's for ice cream. They did all of this in Fayetteville so even though CEC and CFA are places she normally goes these were new locations she had never been (Neal reports the Fayetteville CEC to be much different than ours and a bit scary).

Reese's date is tomorrow night and she is super excited as well, but maybe not quite as excited as her sister has been.

I am so thankful for this husband of mine that is teaching our girls what they should look for in a man one day. He is showing them that they are precious and should not be treated any less than like an absolute treasure. I am also SO thankful that even though this wasn't necessarily modeled for me growing up through His grace and provisions I have been blessed with a husband that treats me like a treasure as well. :)

Reese lost her 1st tooth & cut her own hair

As we all know Mr. Pickles is really naughty. Because of this behavior he has to wear a really thin leash at all times, so that we can pull him off the table, out of the trash, away from the door and out of whatever else he is in but he shouldn't be.

On February 20th Reese decided to put this gross leash into her mouth and play tug of war with him. In doing this her already loose tooth was pulled out. At first she was pretty upset but she then realized it was ready to happen anyways and she got happy.

Reese is almost 6 years old so I thought that we were past the point of cutting our hair out of curiosity. However, we were not past that point. Last Sunday Reese decided to experiment with cutting her own hair. I know it could be way worse but it is still pretty frustrating!

Jesus loves the little children

About a month ago Ella had been learning about salvation and the concept of asking Jesus into your heart at pre-school. This is one of the reasons that I love The Kids Studio, they have reiterated what we've been teaching at home about Jesus' love. Ella asked me about it and I told her one day when she decides it is time I would love to say the prayer with her to ask Him to come and live in her heart. She said she wanted to do it then, so we did.

Yesterday on the way to dance class Reese asked me about it. She asked me a few questions after church last Sunday and this was a continuation of that conversation. She also said yesterday that it was something she wanted to do as well, so we did...in the car on the way to dance class. Ella then asked if she could say it again. I told her that once you say the prayer you are saved and you don't have to do it again and she said she wanted to anyways, so we did.

I know both of my little girls are way young. But I do believe they have a heart for Jesus and were sincere in their desire to ask Him into their hearts and follow Him. However, Neal and I have our work cut out in the coming years to help them understand this decision and to guide them. We also have a whole lot of praying to do that they will be able to navigate in a world that is so lost and broken and that they will stand strong for what they believe and for making the right decisions. I am so thankful that they both made this decision and I pray that they will be bold in this decision to follow Him even though many times it will not be easy.