Monday, March 10, 2014

A Look Inside

For over a year now, I've been encouraging the kids to journal. With me, without me....whatever. It started as an attempt to help Eli work through his anger/frustrating when it becomes too much for him. Not much success with him, but Maddux does a great job of writing Lehr or I a note or letter in the book and returning it quickly so that we can do the same for her.

About a month ago a friend turned me onto a journal for moms and daughters that gave some prompts and other ideas to write about, to allow for some conversations that might be skipped otherwise. One of the first pages for us to journal on was a simple list. Maddux took about three 'tries' to complete this list (hence the different pen colors), but she returned it completed to me this weekend. (Since this page is not one she would mind me sharing, I took a picture of it because I never want to forget it.)
Oh how I love it. I love that she wrote "God" for what she believed. I love that she wrote 'bacen', and 'penup buder'. I love (and am not surprised) that her favorite word is 'happy'. I love that she wrote "Ruby" for what she loved. And I love (and marvel) that she wrote down the I am 'nice'. So many days, more days than not, I feel like all I do is squash who Maddux is with my rules and manners and expectations. So many days I do not feel like my dealings with her are 'nice'. I am so so so grateful that she sees past that and chooses not to focus on my imperfections.

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