Gratitude Friday...

During quiet time Saturday, Aubrey Kate took her craft supplies into her room to play.  It's not unusual for her to do that.  Some of those crafts she can ONLY do when little brother is asleep.  One because they would fight over pretty much all of it and two, it's HER craft stuff.  Homeboy can get his own someday.

About thirty minutes in, she came out beaming...

AK:  "Momma, I cut my hair!"

Me:  "What?  Aubrey Kate?  Why, baby girl?"

AK:  "So it'll grow faster!  It'll be like Rapunzel's!"

Well...sure.

Thankfully, she didn't protest when I told her we'd have to fix it.  She cut some of it really short.  Over her ears short.  But those are the front pieces of her hair and it KINDA looks like some fancy face-framing layers.

Score.

After the "fix" was done, she'd lost about four inches of length.  

She was not thrilled.  

My over-sensitive child held her hand on the back of her neck for the rest of the day and night.  She said it was because her neck hurt.  Through a series of questions, I managed to figure out what she meant by "hurt" was "funny."  She could feel the end of her hair on her neck.

I was panicked with thoughts of meningitis.  She was crying because her hair was touching her neck.  

Sigh.

Behold.  Less than thrilled Aubrey Kate.

But I did manage to get a smile out of her.  She's totally adorable.

The next morning, she was covered in compliments on her new hair cut.  Teachers, friends, our friends.  Everyone told her how pretty she looked.

Monday, the same thing at school.  "Aubrey Kate!  I love your haircut!  You look so pretty!"

All week long.  At the gym.  At school with Daddy.  Mommy friends.  

My girl was covered in compliments on her beauty.

I often feel bombarded with advice on how to raise my daughter.  Ten Best Compliments to Give Your Daughter, Best Mommy/Daughter Dates, The Worst Word to Say to Your Daughter, Focus on This and Not That...

Geez.

My least favorite is the "don't ever tell your daughter to stop being bossy because bossy really means leader."

No, no it does not.

If you think that, then I am horribly sorry for the kinds of bosses you have been forced to work under.

Bossy is mean.  Bossy is inflexible.  Bossy is a know-it-all.  

Leaders are kind.  Leaders seek to learn.  Leaders encourage development.

Not.The.Same.Thing.

Another of my favorites is not to tell your daughter she's beautiful.  Focus on her brain and her character.  Beauty is not important.

On the surface, that sounds dead on accurate.  She IS smart.  She IS super creative.  She IS learning to be kind.  

But she is also beautiful.  

And if her dad and I don't tell her just how beautiful she IS, she will find someone else who will.  

Girls need to feel confident.  Loved.  Affirmed.  In all areas.  

I tell her how smart she is and how creative and how generous and kind.  She gets the whole package.  I tell her God sees her heart and He loves her heart.  Our kindness and love and generosity allow people to see God through us.  And our hearts, that is what God wants.  Our love, devotion and praise all for Him.

BUT, we also talk about how God put each piece of her...her button nose, her beautiful blue eyes, the slight red tint to her hair, her cute little bottom (seriously, I can't NOT pinch it)...together perfectly.  And how AWESOME it is that the same God who placed each star in the sky made YOU.  

She is beautiful because God created her.  

And this week, I got to see her GLOW with each new day.  She didn't think she looked all that cute on Saturday night but by the end of this week full of compliments, she's KNOWS she's beautiful.  No more holding on to her neck.  Just brushing those shorter pieces behind her ear like a big girl.  

She takes my breath away.

Lord, thank you for creating my daughter.  Each and every part.  She is gorgeous.  And because of You, I see her heart growing and stretching into the loving and kind person You created her to be.  Thank you for precious people who take the time to compliment my girl.  Thank you for building her up through them.  Father, I pray You will continue to teach me how to guide her.  And how to make sure she knows her beauty, both inside and out, comes from You and through You.  You alone.