Girls

As the mother of three boys, I have become quite accustomed to a certain way of life that includes a lot of swords, paper airplanes, Playmobil, football, etc., etc. So, it's actually quite a breath of fresh air to have little girls visit the house, especially such sweet ones as Abigail (6) and Anna (4). Their visit was so fitting following Mother's Day and after reading the Vision Forum email I included in my last post (I know it's long, and I've since realized I should have recommended it a little more specifically to anyone who is a woman or knows one!). The beauty of the God-given differences between girls and boys has been on my mind throughout much of this year because of many different sources (Sally Clarkson's great conference and books, "Let Me Be a Woman" by Elisabeth Elliot, etc.). This has been a year of God teaching me that there is such glory in my role as wife and mother, and what I have become is completely something for little girls to aspire to become also (a wife and mother, that is, not me personally!). So, the other day it was such a blessing to hear these phrases for the first time in my house:

Me: "Okay. I need to go get ready while you guys play."
Abigail: "But, I want to wash the windows."
Anna: "And I want to clean the kitchen!"
Me: "I'm sorry girls, you'll just have to play right now." (I can't believe those words came out of my mouth!)

And, after sitting on my stool in my kitchen, eating her lunch with her back perfectly straight and telling me about the proper way to use a napkin:

Me: "Okay. We need to go now."
Abigail: "But, I didn't get to wash the windows yet!"

I so desperately wanted to let her clean my windows, by I was a little short on time. Plus, there was a part of me that kept thinking, she has no idea how dirty those windows really are. I could just hear her saying later, "Mommy, I wanted to clean Mrs. Flood's windows for her, but I really didn't think they would be THAT dirty. Mommy, I don't ever want to do that again!"

And, after our return:

Abigail: "Mrs. Flood, do you have any pink socks that I can use for ballet shoes."
And, "Do you have any classical music we can play while I dance?"

I know there were more cute, girly things said, but I've since forgotten. I was also hoping to get some pictures of our time together, but there was a little too much dancing going on (with Eli flopping around in the middle) to get a clear shot.

Hopefully, no one will ever tell these sweet girls that they should aspire to be something different than what God has already put in their little hearts to become. Whatever God's plan may be for them, if they become mothers someday, may they never think of their lives as mundane and insignificant, but instead see motherhood as a noble calling--and a chance to keep their own windows and kitchens a little cleaner than mine!