When you jump up and down

     Oh sunshine, one of the hardest things I have had to walk through with you was your troubled spirit going to school last year. You were only 3, you cried, you begged, you threw fits not to go. You said you did not have any friends.

 We talked endlessly about what to do, pull you out all together, press through, you only went 3 days a week, and even that was a stretch with all the holidays we got!

 But this year, you have turned a leaf. You started asking when school is…I told you “ you have school tomorrow” and you jumped up and down. Then you said – I love everything about school, even getting ready. Now, that is my sunshine. That is the girl who loves people, new things, learning, playing, making friends, and interactions.

  And I snapped that picture in my heart to tuck away. The brave Layla girl that overcame.  Was struck as I read brene brown’s words on parenting that adversity births Hope…so letting our kids walk through adversity is the best thing we can do for them. So they can come out on the other side, we just have to be in the thick of it with them.

You get excited about a lot of things, you light up, you exclaim, you shout for joy. When there are parties, going to the beach, traveling, friends coming over, getting to go on a date, and even simple little special moments like a tea party.

  

 But this excitement…when you jumped up and down for getting to go to school…this a victory. I want to savor this with you. This victory came at a great cost…tears, cuddles, praying over things, talking, charts, dates, processing with mammas, and mama and baba talking late at night as we laid in bed.

 But this joy that was earned is so sweet.  I love seeing you jump up and down.