My kid is extraordinary, I know you hear that all the time.  In fact I’m sure that every parent thinks their kid is special, the thing is…  mine is…  special… really special.  Her heart is bigger than you could even imagine.   Her compassion for all things is immesurable.  I know those words are used often so allow me to give you a few examples of our sweet daughter.

She is emotional.  She cries watching commercials, movies, and The Voice.  She says things like, “that lady was so happy it made me have tears”  or  “why did Baby Moses’ mom have to give him away, it was so sad it made me choke.”  Yes, she’s that kid, so please be gentle with her heart.  She will feel everything you feel, every frustration, every mean word, and every friend that makes her feel yucky.  But the glorious thing about this sweet girl, is that she’ll get over it, and she’s no worse for wear.  She will duck her head for a few minutes, she will shed a tear or two, and then she’ll move on as if nothing happened.  You see, Big Sister is a forgiver.  In her very nature she’s a forgiver.  She is “abused” over and over and over again by her big brother, she ALWAYS forgives and always gives him the benefit of the doubt.  Don’t be fooled, her easy forgiveness doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt, if only for just a minute.  Please give her a moment when she’s sad, she just needs her privacy to gather the strength for forgiveness, you see she doesn’t give it lightly – she means it, really means it.  I pray you honor her request for “alone time.”  I promise it will work out in better that way.

Shannie is an expert in abstract art.  You only need to read my blog to discover the never ending possibilities of her creativity.  I know you must teach her to color in the lines and to color  by number, but I pray you give her a blank sheet of paper and allow her to scribble her creations.  Her 5 year old brain cannot communicate to her 5 year old hands how to paint/draw/color knights and castles, princesses and ponies, unicorns and aliens, or any of the infinite stories that these characters create for themselves.  So to you it may look like scribbles on the paper, but to her it’s an imaginary world.

Big Sister can answer any question you ask her. I know you are required to teach her to answer the question like the book says to or to fill in the blank.  I get that, I don’t always agree, but I get it.  I pray that you also ask her a million open ended questions this year because you will get a million open ended answers.  Some will be silly, some will be serious, and most will be a beautiful window into her precious little soul.

I entrust to you the care and love of the greatest of God’s gifts.  I am terrified of the word for this sweet child.  If I thought it would do her well to bundle her up and hide her in her cushion fort forever, most likely I would make that choice.  But I know the world NEEDS her.  She was created to rise above the pettiness of life, to show that it’s okay to cry a little, that some abstract art is just the thing to express her truest self, and that all it takes to fly is unconditional love, forgiveness and a room full of grace.  She was created to fly, please help her find her wings.

-Mom