A New Phase of Life

I love it when my own kids surprise me...when they do or say something that makes me turn my head towards them and blink a couple of times. Something that takes me off-guard, and maybe even makes me laugh or smile. McKenzie has entered into a completely new phase of life that has surprised me in it's entirety. The phase of Daring.

From birth McKenzie has been alert, observant, sharp, a little shy, and careful, careful, careful. I knew that I could find McKenzie far away from anything that even whispered of danger. She was scared to jump off a curb, sit on the edge of a pool, ride her bike (even with training wheels), climb on anything that was taller than she...and she never even attempted to climb out of her crib. She was fun to watch at a park because that's all I had to do: watch. I never had to intervene...she never got too close to a dangerous edge, never climbed too high to get herself down, never wanted to wander away from my sight.

And now - now the tides have changed. Every time I turn around, she's leaping off of something. And the higher, the better. Chairs, stools, tables, stairs, beds, cribs, changing tables, apple trees... She'll mark her landing and try over and over and over again to beat the last jump. It's interesting, though, that she doesn't seem to be doing it for the thrill of it - she seems to be doing it for the pure purpose of proving that she can. The picture above captures, I feel, the entirety of this new phase. Notice her facial expression...no smile, just a look of pure concentration and confidence.

Who is this girl? Who will she grow up to be? What will her strengths be? And, what about her weaknesses? What role do I play - how much is set in her little soul?

There are so many things I have taught her - and so many things I have yet to teach. But, what gets me the most, is how much she has taught herself. I hope I can guide her through her life to be a strong thinker, and a deep feeler. I hope she will grow to love the gospel of Jesus Christ as much as I do. I hope she will always feel free and encouraged to question what she hears from us and others, and I hope I can teach her how to feel the guidance of our Heavenly Father as she seeks for her own answers and, ultimately, teaches herself how to live up to the great potential that she has.

I love it when my own kids surprise me...when they do or say something that makes me turn my head towards them and blink a couple of times. Something that takes me off-guard, and maybe even makes me laugh or smile.

Because, usually, it means they've learned something new...on their own.