I’ve been stretching.

Not the physical type of stretching that will produce more limber joints or toned muscles, but the emotional kind.

This past weekend, our older daughter was invited to attend an area church-sponsored, carnival-type event with one of her friends from school. I would be leaving her in the care of this friend’s mother for several hours. Of course our daughter was quite excited about spending this time with her friend and joining in all of the activities.

I was the one with misgivings. My husband and I determined that it was a safe, age-appropriate outing for her. However, for the first time she would be at a public event without he or I being present.

Who would hold her coat when she got warm – or tell her to put it back on?

Would anyone tell her she’d eaten enough – or needed to eat more?

She had five dollars for spending money; would she remember to get her change if she needed it – or would she lose the money in the first five minutes?

She’s ten. She’s responsible and obedient. Yet this was a big deal for me. While another adult was available, I wouldn’t be – at least not immediately. So, while praying for her safety and protection, I stretched. We allowed her to take another tiny step in the journey toward independence; a journey that will eventually land her on her own two feet, making her own decisions, learning to navigate new situations alone.

Happily, all went well. After three hours, she was excited to see me and chatted all the way home about what she had done.

Looks like I’m not the only one learning to stretch.

Linked to Mama’s Heart hosted by It’s Grace.

It was”Crazy Hat Day” at school. “Wear the craziest, biggest and funniest hat you have!” the flyer proclaimed.

The night before, she was so excited about how she’d turned a summery white church hat into her own goofy creation. I admired her active imagination, along with the hat.

As she climbed out of the car the next morning, I thought I heard a hint of doubt in her voice as she wondered aloud how many other kids would wear crazy hats. I knew exactly how she felt – except that she’s much braver than I am. I would have been one of the “safe” students, sporting a traditional baseball cap or a tame straw hat.

As I drove away in the car, my heart walked with her – down the breezeway, up the stairs, through the hallway. “Like her hat,” I silently pleaded with her classmates. “Admire her handiwork,” I mentally begged the teacher. “Don’t let her be crushed,” I prayed as I sat at the stoplight, wondering how her entrance to the classroom had gone.

Oh, how I long to protect her from ever being embarrassed or feeling out of place! I yearn to keep her self-confidence blooming and her individuality in tact. I admire her for stepping out boldly, displaying a hint of vulnerability, and refusing to take the safe, predictable route.

But I guess it’s part of life, another scene in the movie of growing up – taking risks and not knowing how you will be judged by your peers.

I just know that when I pick her up from school this afternoon, I hope she’s still wearing her hat.

This little mailbox appears in our house around this time every year.

My older daughter brought it home from school several years ago. Lovingly decorated with an abundance of foam stickers, it sits atop a stack of books on the hallway bookcase. Lying nearby are a pad and pen, used to scribble short notes to other family members.

When the flag is up, you know it’s time to open the small door and see if you’ve got mail. Or, if you don’t happen to pass through the hallway often enough, a miniature postal worker may remind you to check your mail!

I’m happy to have another fun way to keep the lines of communication open!

Do you have a favorite method for passing little notes to your children or are there other ways you encourage them with the written word?

At last, the day had come. As she told me on the way to the orthodontist, “I’m part excited and part nervous.” Although she’s only ten, isn’t it interesting how many of life’s situations we all face with those two emotions so closely intertwined? At least getting braces on your teeth is something I can relate to quite well.

It worked. She perked up when she saw the decorative cup, then slowly began taking sips. By the time she was done, she had consumed a whole can!

I give a sideways glance at the girl sitting beside me in church. Her brown eyes behind blue-rimmed glasses stare straight ahead, her mind seemingly focused on the preacher and his words. Her Bible lays open in her lap, her finely-shaped hands resting peacefully atop its pages.

Oh, that I could be a mind reader, to know the thoughts that stream across her consciousness. Is she pondering the message, considering the Scriptures, or has she slipped off to another place, where her imagination runs free or some other event occupies her attention?

I pray that she’s tuned in, that these truths from God’s Word are penetrating her heart, giving her comfort, building her faith, growing her soul. While I long to nudge her side, catch her glance, earn a smile, instead I focus my own heart. After all, our hopes and dreams for this precious daughter is that she’s listening, learning and ever developing into a young lady with whom God will be pleased.

When our daughters get out of school on Friday, their two-week Christmas break begins. We are quite excited about having a whole week before Christmas to celebrate the season at home. Yesterday I sat down to plan out some of the activities I’d like for us to do.

Monday: Thanksgiving. Yes, you read that correctly. If you’ll remember, we were out of town for Thanksgiving. However, I have a turkey in the freezer and can’t wait to make dressing, sweet potato casserole, strawberry pretzel salad and pumpkin cheesecake. With all of the activity of the past couple of weeks, my girls have hardly had time to stay at home and enjoy their birthday gifts, so this is a “stay-at-home and play” day (with a little time for helping Mom in the kitchen so we can inhale all those delicious aromas!) Having a big meal on Monday night means we’ll have all week to enjoy leftovers!

Tuesday: Dollar store shopping; visit to the library. Each year, our two daughters and I go to the dollar store and together they select a gift for each of the relatives we’ll be seeing on our trip to visit my family. This venture takes quite a while as they choose just the right item for each person! I’m planning to purchase a bag of Christmas candy to give to the ladies that work at our library when we stop in to check out some books. I hope to find some Christmas stories that the girls and I can read together. (I recently read them O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi – one of my absolutely favorite stories!)

Wednesday: Christmas cookie baking! We always look forward to making our chocolate “gingerbread” men, and this year I’ve had each of my daughters choose another cookie to make. We’ll be trying these Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars and these Chocolate Crinkles, then deliver some to our neighbors and probably freeze some to eat later.

Thursday: Gift-wrapping day. This is the day to wrap all of those presents we bought at the dollar store as well as any others that haven’t been taken care of yet. (Both girls often make special crafts for my husband and I up until the last minute!) We usually cover the living room floor with wrapping paper, ribbons, bows and gift tags.

Friday: After an early supper, we’ll continue our tradition of going downtown to our favorite dessert restaurant, then walking through a nearby hotel to see the decorations and model train display. When we get home, the girls will get into their pajamas and we’ll read the Christmas story from Luke 2, followed by ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Each night during the week, we’ll watch a Christmas show together. We have most of the classics like Frosty the Snowman, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Little Drummer Boy on video. One night we’ll travel to a park in another part of town to see a drive-through Christmas lights display.

Carrying you in my womb taught us more about the grace and goodness of God than any other event in our lives thus far.

We knew the breaths you took were only temporary, that entering the world just before dawn on that cold December morning would mean your end was near.

The moments we spent together were brief; your tiny body was already still, your precious spirit already with God.

I never carried you in my arms, but I still carry you in my heart.