What a Gem

Bethany

She's always been a helpful little girl.  In the above picture (take November 2009), she was holding her beloved sippy cups.  Long gone are the days of her chugging a full bottle of hot chocolate out of those things the moment she woke up.  These days, as she gets ready to prepare for kindergarten, she's growing into such a helpful little girl.  Much like her momma, she's a diamond in the rough... and has lots of refining to do, but also has a heart of gold.

This morning when my bathroom was out of clean towels, she volunteered to bring me one from upstairs.  Not just any towel, but her favorite Dora towel.  It was so sweet as she tried to hang it just perfectly next to the shower for me.  It was sweet seeing her to think of others first.

While she can have a sassy mean streak on occasion, she was award winning sweetness again tonight.

On our way home from Grammy's daycare, I informed the kids that I had a meeting and would be leaving the house right after getting the kids home.  Bethany informed us that she wanted breakfast for supper.  On this hurried night where Ryan was outside working on the garage/landscaping and I was headed to a meeting and we both had small group bible study at 7pm, I knew that our best "breakfast for supper" that I could put together would be cereal.  She was happy with that.  The wheels must have continued turning for my girl, cause it wasn't long before she informed me that she would make me something to eat for supper.  We came in the house and she went right to work.  While I picked up the living room, Bethany carefully spread nutella on sandwich bread for me, leaving just enough goodness on the knife and her fingers that she could get a small taste and smear a whole lot over her beautiful little face.  I'm not a fan of nutella sandwiches but how can you say no to the preciousness of a 5 year-old's efforts?  While I grabbed up my laptop and binder for the meeting, Bethany slid the sandwich in a quart ziploc bag, carefully picked out a watermelon jolly rancher which joined the nutella spread in the ziploc, and carried it over to me.  As she handed off the goods, she had a big 'ol smile on her face.  I had a big 'ol smile on my face too.  And the preciousness, and thoughtfulness of my daughter warmed my heart.  

I'm so proud to call her daughter.  Intentional parenting is tough, and doesn't always pay off.  I could make more effort, I know.  But today, two different times today, it paid off big time.  She's learning from those she watches.  She's thinking of others and serving them.  And I am one grateful momma who enjoyed that nutella sandwich for supper tonight!!!  Thank you Bethany for loving me more than you love those sippy cups in the above picture.  You are a gem and I thank God for you!