May 24, 2008

my beautiful girl

Yesterday was a day of eighth grade celebrations... fun at the water park, pizza party, and a dance. This is it... two and half more days of school, and my beautiful girl will be a high schooler. She is ready. I know she is... she is confident and brave... and happy to be herself.
Eric & I went along to the water park as chaperones... and it was good to see Laura with her friends- happy and having fun... not having a care in the world. Not feeling the pressure of fitting in- almost every other girl there was wearing a tiny bikini... while she had her suit covered by a swim shirt. While she is comfortable in her own two piece suit, she is also comfortable in her modesty. I enjoyed just catching a glimpse of her now and then, as she wandered by... I love that she wasn't embarrassed that we were there. And later, going to the dance. She went on her own, planning on meeting her friends there... and never voiced any concern about maybe arriving there first... and having to wait for them to come to have fun. I would've been sick at the thought... in fact, I was almost sick for her. But not my girl... she didn't blink an eye at the thought. It was no big deal for her, but I was silently thankful when we pulled up and two of her friends were already waiting. I am thankful that she is not as shy as I was... and sometimes still am. I am thankful that that part of me has somehow passed her by. I am thankful that she is her own beautiful self... ready to shine in her very own way.

3 comments:

Suzanne said...

Yes, she shines. And it is great that she does not care what others think or do!!!!
Laura is Awesome.

HWHL said...

Wow - what a great, well-balanced, and well-adjusted young lady you have! I know how proud you must be! (Gee whiz - I think of myself at her age and I was just a quivering MASS of insecurities!)

You and your husband have obviously done a VERY good job raising her - congratulations to you two! :-)

carie said...

I still see her as that tiny tot...so petite and delicate...but she has always been brave...always.