One Reason I Love My Teenager...

Teenage years are often spoken of in terms of what goes wrong with the children that a parent has worked so hard to raise. Although I completely agree that this time can have many twists and turns both for the young adult-to-be and their mother and father, I also believe that this can be a wonderful time too. It's the time where I'm allowed to see my precious little one blossum into adulthood. Like peering into the inner sanctuary of a cocoon, I get to watch the metamorphosis up close and personal. It isn't always a picture of perfection but it certainly is awesome to watch the transformation. Because we homeschool, I have the pleasure of observing many moments where I just can't believe the baby I brought home from the hospital is a woman.

I think the most important thing that a parent can do while there children migrate the transition into adulthood is to CHOOSE to look for the wonderful things that comprise their personality. Your teenager NEEDS to hear what they are doing right. They NEED to know that you still think highly of them. They NEED to believe that they still hold a precious place in your heart.

So sweet "Gracie" this post is for you :)

One reason I love my teenager is that she is compassionate and caring. She always shows concern and looks for ways to be sensitive to the desires of others. We work hard around our house, partially just because we live here and we should take care of our home, but mostly because we live here all day and messes just naturally occur. We make three meals a day plus snacks and so our kitchen always looks like we've just finished a meal.

Gracie is a whiz in the kitchen and cooks at least one dinner a week as well as breakfast two or three times. There are a couple of meals that I just don't do anymore and for that I am grateful. One of her meals is pancakes...always on Friday. She makes perfect pancakes with bacon (broiled in the oven) and doesn't even want me in the kitchen when she's at work.

Little brother likes to bother help me when I am in the kitchen. Sometimes I shoosh him away; sometimes I allow him to help. But when I turn around and see my teenager loving on her little brother without coaxing from me, my heart jumps for joy.

Every Friday morning we make pancakes for breakfast. On this Friday morning, "Sister" is letting her little brother help her...

Gracie also has learned how to play the guitar this year. Little fingers now seem to be heard at the most random times strumming her guitar in secret. Instead of getting mad and ranting about how the littles in our house keep messing with her stuff, Gracie make time to let them play...legally.

There is so much to be thankful for during this season of life. Albeit, sometimes you must choose to LOOK for what is wonderful about this person who is growing all the way into their skin. So today I'm going to look. I'm going to look and after I complete this blog I'm going to march into the kitchen, hug my wonderful daughter and tell her how great I think she is to be so compassionate and caring. You be sure and do the same with the precious gifts you've been given.