Turning Eight

Last week, Sinclair turned 8. She is a girl who genuinely feels everything--for better or worse--but I believe that attribute will be one that connects her well to others. I can feel the emotions of others. She is all about relationships. She will defend and/or kill to protect those she loves. She notices everything, is wildly enthusiastic, loves school and enjoys tennis. One of my favorite moments from this year was watching her with her uncle's future mother in law who was at least 70. She sat down beside her and truly engaged this women in conversation by asking her questions. That is a great quality to possess. Another great moment from this year was watching her engage with children from a women's shelter. She stepped up, saw a need and helped. She was shining. 

Seven was a tough year full of battles and insecurities. It's hard to watch your child shy aware from something fun out of fear of failure or fear of judgment. I pray that 8 will be a more freeing year--free to be who she is. And I pray that I can encourage those unique qualities within her rather than squashing them because it rubs against who I am.

This year, we celebrated her birthday at Disney World. It was truly a remarkable experience because every person that worked at Disney wished her a happy birthday (because she was wearing a special pin). At first she was embarrassed at the thought of drawing attention to herself, but she warmed up to it and beamed from ear to ear when spoken to. 

We asked her what she wanted to work on at 8: not being afraid, not screaming, not lying, learn to surf and play the guitar. This could be a big year. She has a strong will, and God designed her that way. He designed her to be strong, vocal, and opinionated. May God use those things. I continue to pray that God would grow her in wisdom and stature. I've been waiting for her to turn a corner since she was 18 months old. #heavenhelp

As parents, we have 464 weeks left she graduates high school. We are in the phase where her imagination is strong and wild and free. I hope we can engage her imagination in a way that will help her discover how her story intersects with God's. He has big plans for her.