On Monday we had Daddy unexpectedly home and an hour to waste after picking Anna up from school and before Sarah would be done, so I suggested we take our youngest child Jessica to the park and teach her how to ride her bike - with only 2 wheels.
Watching Jessica on her training wheeled bike was amazing. That bike was a best bud taking her where she wanted to go and always submitting to her will. She would go down big bumps and often coast to a perfect stop. She was confident and comfortable, so it seemed about time to shake that up.
As expected she was vocally nervous. She pitched a fit and cried and begged us not to let go. She took a couple of decent falls and I could see she was getting frustrated. She took it out on her bike pushing it to the ground then stomping her foot and yelling at her Daddy that she was never going to do it again not EVER!! I wasn't sure just how far we could push her so I decided it was time to intervene and had Jay take a bench break with me while Jessica could do what she wanted.
Less than a minute of standing there looking from the swings back to her betrayer bike laying on the ground Jessica took a page right out of Sarah's book and said "I'm going to try it again. Lets just go straight though." I like to call these moments "MACK GRIT". Jessica couldn't just walk away, she was going to keep trying until she and her bike were best friends again.
5 minutes later found her jumping and shouting only this time because she was so excited, she was riding in a straight line! Four evenings later and my Spunky Bunky is once again on good terms with her bike. She often takes sharp turns that I'm sure will send her to the pavement but Jessica seems to know just what her bike can do for her and handles it like an expert.
Yes, I'm proud. It is bitter sweet though. Each of Jessica's firsts marks another of my lasts.
I wore my Proud Badge again today as the girls preformed in the Primary Program at church. They all practiced hard and let their talents shine. Each did an excellent job with their parts. Jessica was the second Sunbeam to give a line and I can tell you she was "So scared" she told me before church that she didn't want to say it in front of all those people. JT told her to look down at the 2 rows of her family that were there to support her because she wouldn't be scared of them. I was sitting on the stand behind her so I'm not sure where her attention was, but she delivered her line clearly and flawlessly then went back to her seat with a big smile and thumbs up for me. Her primary teacher said she inspired several of the other kids in her class to make it through their parts too.
Anna & Sarah stole the show (in my humble opinion). They sang the 8th verse of "Book of Mormon Stories" as a duet. I was happy that they sang clearly, stayed in tune and didn't speed sing faster then the piano could accompany them. I'm proud of them for bringing an extra sweet spirit to the meeting. More then just words being sung my girls sounded like angles because I could feel the testimony behind what they sang. Several people told me they felt it too.
Here is the verse they sang:
After Christ was crucified and died for you and me,
He came forth to teach the truth to all who would be free.
Hands were laid upon each child. He blessed them tenderly,
And they lived in the land righteously.
These are just a couple bigger examples of why I'm proud. It goes beyond that in the little details of life...cleaning without arguing, reminding us to have family scripture study, doing homework without being asked the list could and does go on. Maybe it was the bigger things that brought the smaller ones into a clear focus for me. Whatever the cause this week I feel like a proud Mama!
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