Six

Dear Songbird,

As always, May has been a very busy month for us.  I have been looking forward to sitting down and remembering your life, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to do that now.

You are six years old!!!  Your birth was such a sweet time for Papa and I. I had to be induced rather suddenly, and 4 hours later you were born.  It was not exactly how we were picturing things would go, but as I was thinking about the events of that night, I remembered a specific conversation.  It was about 45 minutes before you were born, and my contractions were getting stronger and stronger.  I had to hold totally still, close my eyes, and squeeze Papa's hand to make it over the hump.  But during the calm in between contractions Papa and I were dreaming about gardens, and Laurie, our midwife, was telling us about her garden.  It kind-of gets blurry from there, but I remember thinking about plants, butterflies, birds, and all things garden during the minutes before you were born.

This is the first time I have really thought about that conversation since that night, but I think it ties in nicely with what I was going to say to you.  You are our garden girl.  Like your Papa, you love learning the names of plants, and you take such joy in helping plant seeds and watching them grow.  Even though we are only in Maine for a few more months, we let you have your own wildflower garden, and every so often I hear a scream of excitement from out back because you've discovered a new sprout.  I love learning more about plants alongside you, and I love that I only have to tell you the name of something once and you've got it memorized.  There's been many a time that we've gone walking through the woods and you've pointed out a plant by name, and I had already forgotten its name.  It really is another language, and you approach it with ease, and glory in the Creator while doing so.

You also continue to grow in your love and appreciation for art.  I have overheard you say more than once that when you grow up you are going to do one of two things. 1. Have a garden like Tammy so you can give all your food away to poor people, or 2. Be an artist like BMa and have your own studio in your house.  You had an amazing opportunity this year to take an art class from Mrs. Harris of the Merrymeeting Homeschool League.  We have been a part of this Classical co-op for the past 5 months, and I have seen you grow in so many ways through it.  But one of the most tangible ways has been through Mrs. Harris' art class.  You now have your own "mini studio" in your bedroom where I have hung my favorites of your most recent pictures.  You love showing people your work when they come to visit, and I love seeing the great joy it brings you.

Another amazing thing for you this past year has been ballet.  You started off in September being stiff, a bit clumsy, shy, and a little fearful.  A few weeks ago you were able to participate in your first ballet, "Flight," written and directed by your awesome teacher, Elizabeth Drucker.  You were a little bird, and when I asked you if you felt at all nervous about the performance you said, "not a bit!"

Another thing I love about you is that you are a faithful friend. You have made several sweet friends this year who you are going to miss a lot, and you have continued writing letters to and praying for many sweet friends from the past.  It will be nice to be within driving distance of many of these people again in the (very near) future.

You continue to struggle with unexplainable tummy pains, and we continue to be baffled as to the cause of them.  And we continue to pray for you that you would grow in your understanding that God is good all the time, and that you would not be so quick to worry and fear.  We pray that God would use your sweet, super sensitive spirit for His glory, and that it would be something that drives you to love others well and recognize when people are in need, rather than something that drives you towards self-preservation.

I love you more than I could ever express, and I treasure this time I have with you. It is not always easy,  and I am stumbling around alongside you trying to grow in poise and grace, but I am so thankful that we are together in this journey here and now, sharpening each other...

With love,
Mama