I'm Special Because... I'm Different

Getting through the mountain of grade school 'mail' is sometimes a feat at my crazy house. I look at every paper, because it's important to the girls and should be just as important to the parent. This week Miss R brought home a little packet of papers that her teacher had them fill out.  It's the regular beginning of school things about what they like and what they want to be when they grow up.  I always love to see what the kids put.  As I flipped through the pages I came across this one:

I'm Different

I stopped and smiled. Because countless times I've told Miss R it's ok to be different and often that's how I describe her to people.

Sitting doing homework at her brothers football game,
she created an 'inspiring spot' to focus on Math, she said.

I'm excited that she is embracing it and knows that is good not bad.  She just looks at the world through eyes that I only can pray she never looses. She finds joy and laughter in so many interesting things because of the angle she observes them.

Some people spend their whole life trying not to conform and I find that sad. I want my kids to embrace who they are and love that.  I think that's the big secret to life.  Be who you are and love yourself for it. I found that at an early age and know I'm very lucky to go through life happy.

I've reflected a lot this past month about finding the rewards of being a parent.  Let's face it when you're in the trenches everyday it's hard to find the rewards.  Between the reminding everyone to brush their teeth, being asked for the zillionth time where something is (that I didn't wear so how I would I know), breaking up stupid fights, and worrying if they are eating right, being good people, laughing enough, praying enough... you name it, I worry when it comes to my kids.

I said to my dad just the other night, when does the rewarding part of parenthood come?  He looked at me and said right now, when they are adults. So, I look forward to that time, but for right now I better keep my nose the grindstone so that I can relish in those big rewards. This simple little note that Miss R wrote helped remind me that I'm on the right path. The path to help my kids just be happy with being different.