Mama sings

The kids know Mama better than anyone else. They know when Mama is sad, she sings. They know when Mama is happy, she sings. Mama sings loud in the car, loud in the kitchen, loud in the bathtub and loud while she mows the lawn. For when Mama aint' too sure what she's supposed to do, Mama sings!

It wasn't too long ago that I heard my daughter scream out to me from an empty auditorium, during a rehearsal, "Mama singing!! Mama, good job!!" When I heard her scream those words and heard those little hands clapping with excitement, I realized that the audience I've always wanted, was sitting right out there in front of me. This incredible family I have brings more music to my life than I could have ever imagined.

As women, we are always changing. I see it in my daughter constantly. She doesn't care so much about Nemo or Elmo anymore. She would much rather be dressed like a princess while watching her favorite movie, Cinderella. She's not content playing in her closet with all of her many, many pairs of shoes, she wants more. So she goes to my closet and makes a mess as she searches for the highest heel she can find. Putting on my makeup is not as easy as it once was either. Now I have a two and a half year old daughter asking for "lips", which means lip gloss. I also find her looking at herself in the mirror from time to time after she puts on a dress up outfit. Oh and she for sure knows what the word beautiful means because she tells me how beautiful she is all the time and a few days ago she told me I was beautiful. My boys are changing rapidly too but since I know what it's like to be a girl, I tend to understand her a little better. I know what she wants, I know what she needs. Something about that little girl constantly reminds me of how wonderful it is to be a woman. She teaches me to LOVE being a girl!

Two nights ago I put Ava Beth in bed at 8:30pm. For TWO hours, she laid in her bed and sang. She did not sing softly either, it was loud. And after each song, she clapped for herself and said, "Good job Sissy! Good job!" I couldn't help but to be proud. She is a beautiful little girl and I know God has big plans for her! The boys will learn a lot from me and a lot about how to treat a girl. I look forward to them doting over me as they get older. But Jeremy will be the one to teach them how to be strong, how to fight and how to take care of things. They will learn how to work hard and how to provide for their families. Ava Beth will learn from her Daddy too. She will most definitely idolize him and hopefully marry someone just like him! But it will be me that teaches her how to act like a lady, how to sit, how to stand, how to look pretty and how to love the Lord. Right now she takes care of her baby dolls but someday she will take care of her own children. She will learn how to cook, how to bake and how to be a wife, mommy and friend. I will be the one to teach her everything! DAILY I pray that she will like herself and not care about the things others may say. I pray that I can show her confidence and that she can see that I like myself, for I know she will copy whatever she sees in me.

And when she comes to a place in her life when she is not sure what to do, I pray she will sing. When she's having a hard day and feels like she's not a good mom, I pray she will sing. When she sees that marriage isn't perfect and that it often needs fine tuning, I pray she will sing. When others disappoint her, fail her or reject her, I pray she will sing. For this is what Mama has to do. Mama has to sing! No matter how I may feel, I have to keep singing.

Ava Beth, sing! Sing as loud as you want and as much as you want to! And when you aint' too sure what to do next, just remember Mama sings and it works.