Proud Momma.

I guess I’m a proud momma…not the kind of bad pride (though I battle with that on a daily basis), but rather the good kind that delights in the antics of your children.  At this very moment, my boys are enjoying some new action figures their daddy surprised them with.  I love watching them play together.  They’re so creative.  And though they fight sometimes, like all boys, they are quick to repent and make up.  There’s plenty to be proud of where they’re concerned, but I was thinking more about how proud I am of my daughter in this most recent season of her life.

My daughter was at the final horse show of her first season of competition this past weekend.  She got two fifth places.  It may not sound like a lot, but what’s remarkable is her attitude.  She continually postures herself as a learner and squeezes every little nugget out of her training and competing.  She’s amazingly humble.  I’m provoked.  One thing that has really been cool to see this year is how God seems to have put many obstacles in her way that have kept her from placing higher in her competitions (like bad horses, stage fright, difficult courses to remember, etc.).  But rather than be discouraged by this, she has wisely seen the value of all she’s learned in such a short period of time.  It’s the best possible outcome for a newbie.  

She’s been competing with kids that have done this for far longer than she has (though she’s had an amazing amount of riding time because her trainer loves her), but even given that, her trainer believes that in this year alone she’s experienced most of the pitfalls she would likely ever face and has learned how to deal with them.  And because she’s postured herself so humbly, it’s been a great witness to her teammates.  I couldn’t be prouder of how she’s handled herself and the maturity and poise that’s evident in her attitude.  

So this won’t be a long post.  I just had my kids on my heart and had to brag for a minute.  I’m sure your kids are special too and you have proud moments like this where you have an overwhelming desire to broadcast your pleasure in them.  Enjoy thinking about how uniquely wonderful they all are.