The Sensational 7th

Dear Iva June,

Whew!

It's time to clear the air-
Literally.

That last post wasn't really fair to you, was it?
You are much more beautiful than that.
And really-you couldn't have told me you don't like that picture of yourself
because you can't.

And so, I am asking you for forgiveness, BUT,
I won't take down the picture.
Because it serves as a reminder to us of where we have come 
and where we are going.
Both of us.

Because we're both on this journey-
You to speak.
And me to speak less.
You to lead.

And me to be patient.

And that's really hard for me June bug-to be patient.
Like REALLY hard.

But here we are...another year into it-
And today I celebrate YOU!

It's your birthday and you are SEVEN!
So you needed something kind of SENSATIONAL!

Pool filled with Water balloons, squishie balls, body foam and bath bomb

Water table filled with colored cool whip, frozen blueberries, pop rocks and cotton candy

Maybe heaven?

Layered ice cream trifle

Because only something cold would do for the birthday girl

Sweet Girl,

May your year be full of sunshine, shiny balloons, splashing waters, sweet watermelon, sprinklers, laughter, bathing suits, honey nut cheerios and popsicles.

And may you know just
how high,
how wide,
how deep
is the Father's love for you.

Birthday present: Kryptonite body suit

Sometimes you are done.
You are done
screaming
jerking
swearing

You are done with this situation.
You would do whatever it takes to make it go away.

And so it happens again and you really know you are done because
all of a sudden
you are watching yourself do what you thought you could never do.

It is an out-of-body experience.
A gift from God, really.

You breathe in, and somehow-

calmly
patiently
efficiently

you get it done.

It is not you.

Finally, it happened for me.
Tonight it happened.

It was the LAST straw.
But the FIRST time I could actually love her through this moment.
It was the last time I would find my nearly-7 year old covered with feces smeared all over her body.
And scream with disgust.

For the 187th time-
I cleaned up the mess and scrubbed her little body with grace.
It wasn't me scrubbing.
I was watching myself scrubbing.

As much as I love this girl, I hate this habit.
And so I had to show you.
So you can pray for me.
I'm even okay with you feeling bad for me.
And honestly I can't believe I'm showing you this picture.

And so,
this precious girl, who turns 7 on Monday
is not getting Princess clothes
and Barbie dolls
and Pretty Ponies for her birthday on June 6.

She is getting a backwards-zipping full-length Kryptonite Body Suit.
Maybe she is even getting 7 of them.
Because she is turning 7.