Today’s 31 Days of Life is about missing the ‘yesteryears’. I know we aren’t supposed to dwell on the past – but I’m missing those days anyway. I’ve been trying to organize, sort, clean up the pictures on my computer…ugh!… As nice as memories are I’m missing my babies. My babies aren’t babies any more! They grew up. I have been seeing pictures of their sweet faces from 4 years ago. {sigh} It honestly has gone just way, way too fast. Four years ago a friend and I took our girls to the Nutcracker. They were all dressed up in sweet ivory silk dresses with gold glittery shoes. So, so sweet. It was a memorable day and I will never forget it.

She loved dancing and twirling. We had just been to the Nutcracker – she was flying high.

Look at the sparkle in her eyes. That is her baby doll my dad gave her for 1st or 2nd Christmas. The beautiful crochet (knit?) coat, it is over a beautiful red velvet dress -both from goodwill. {When thrift/consignment store shopping, I would buy clothes for her doll – preemie size fit the best. :-D}

She used to LOVE to dress up pretty. {Now, she’s the ripe old age of 12 and wouldn’t dream of dressing up. :-(, someday I hope it changes again.}

 Yes. Parenting is hard. But it is so worth it. We’ve had a hard day, but a good day. A day that will probably shape her friendships for the rest of her life. I do miss those days when the kids were younger – I’d go back and repeat them any day. However, I am thankful to see them grow and make mature choices, even when it is hard. As I wrote earlier this week about trusting Him, shame stemming from words, the importance of watching the words we say, and then about our voice. I had no idea the week would wrap up like it has. {Actually, last night I wrote a paragraph about being nervous as to why I’d dwelled on studying our mouth & tongue all week, then I removed it…now, I wish I’d left it in. I shoulda known something was coming! 🙂 Today I found out why the Lord was preparing me a.l.l. week. Yes, I’m thick-skulled – my parents called it stubborn, I call it slow.}