Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Three Years Old!!

Dear Charlotte,
I know every parent at this stage says it too, but I can't believe you're already three. You are growing up into this beautiful little lady right before my eyes. Everything is growing on you - your legs are getting longer, your smile is getting bigger, and your vocabulary is expanding by the day. It is very rare these days that I have a difficult time trying to figure out what you're saying. You used to get frustrated with me when I'd repeatedly ask you, "what?", but I explained to you that I really want to know what you're saying and that it's important to me to understand you, so now you're much more patient with me and you'll repeat yourself to me more slowly and clearly. You've always been one to understand so much better with a little explanation.


Right now you're in your room "napping". I can hear you talking and singing to your "friends" - your Thomas the Train, Lightening McQueen, and Puppy soft toys in your bed with you. You're singing a song now that I'm guessing you're making up as you go along. You just came out of your room a few minutes ago to tell me you had to go potty and to tell me you love me. Some days, Charlotte, you just melt my heart into a puddle. I picked you up from your class at Bible study this morning, and usually when you see me at the door, you come running to me full speed with your arms open wide and a huge smile one your face, giving me a great big collision hug. Today though, Cy was the first one you saw, and you came running full speed to where he was sitting in the stroller and gave him such a big sweet hug. It warmed my heart so much!

You've been playing with Cy a lot more lately and enjoying his friendship more and more. You two will chase one another down the hallway and you're even starting to share your trains with him. A couple days ago when we were going to the dentist office, I told you that you'd need to share your truck with Cy when we got to the office. Before we even pulled into the parking lot, I looked back and saw you giving Cy the truck. The same truck you were playing with all morning and had become so attached.You did it without  me even reminding you. I told you how proud I was of you, and how big it makes the Lord smile when you share and act lovingly toward your brother.



It was late September when you told me you wanted Jesus to live in your heart forever. A couple days before, we had let you climb into bed with us in the morning after you had gone potty. You climbed in and started chatting with us, and all on your own accord, began to tell us about how much God loves us and that Jesus died for us so we could live. I was just in shock. We had shared these things with you many times, but you had never repeated it to us before. So, Daddy picked up and started sharing more of the Gospel with you and telling you more and more about His great love for you. The next afternoon, after Cy had gone down for his nap, you were sitting on my lap at the table, coloring your Thomas the Train coloring book. I was reading an excerpt from a marriage counseling book we were using to counsel a couple from our church and got to the part that talks about the importance of marrying someone with the same Christian beliefs. In this section it shared a man's testimony of how he trusted his life to Jesus. You stopped me toward the end and told me, "Mommy, I love God and I want him to forgive my sins. I want Jesus to live in my heart forever." I could barely believe what I heard, and tears just started streaming down my face. I  never thought my prayers would be answered so soon! I asked you if you wanted to pray for that to happen. You said yes and prayed a brief prayer with me, and then said, "Mommy, Thomas is blue." It was such a special moment and one I will treasure forever. Since that time I've seen the Lord working on your heart, as little as you are. I see you more sensitive about matters of the heart and more quickly willing to apologize and want to do the right thing. I've also seen how the enemy strives to take hold of that which is no longer his, as there were also a few weeks of pretty severe disobedience. But, lately you've really turned a corner and I see such a sweetness and sensitivity swelling in your heart, I just can't deny that the Lord has settled there.


You are a ball full of energy too and you LOVE to run. We walk to the store sometimes and there's long stretches of grass almost the whole way. You get out of the stroller and will run full speed the entire way, there and back. It's got to be about a mile and a half one way. You love it when I chase you and even enjoy being ticked now - something you really didn't like for some time. You can recognize almost all your letters and on a good day can count to 20 unassisted. You'll even tease sometimes and will quickly tell us, "I was only joking". You love meeting new friends at the park and will quickly and easily play with other kids of all ages. You tend to enjoy playing with those a bit older than you, but really just love any opportunity to be social. You LOVE your Lightening McQueen stories, cars, clothes, bike, and movies, and although you've always enjoyed Thomas, I believe he's now coming in as a close second to your favorite. Cy has picked up your love for both, so you're having to learn a bit faster the fine art of sharing all your favorites.


I have to say, you're my little tomboy. You'll pick a Thomas or Lightening shirt over anything pink, frilly, or girly, faster than Lightening could make it around the racetrack. I have you wear more girly clothes on Sunday for church, but we're not half way home before you ask me, "Mommy, can I put on my shorts and Thomas shirt when we get home?" You do let me put your hair in a pony tail when it's extra windy outside, but that's about your limit. I don't think a bow has come close to your hair since you were around 18-months old. I used to fight it but just recently I've begin to embrace it. You're so active and fun and sweet and it's just so entirely you. You don't have a care what anyone else thinks and you are very sure of the things you like. It's this part of your personality that I know will really strengthen your faith and your belief in the Lord as you grow and mature.

Just thinking about you makes me smile. You are such a joy and delight in our lives. You're funny and sweet and so thoughtful. Just the other day I was having a hard time and begun to cry. You climbed onto the couch in the other room grab a tissue and bring it to me. You're very sensitive to others feelings and I pray the Lord will use this quality in your life in ways that will bring many blessings to others. I love you so much, Charlotte. I pray as we both grow up together, that the Lord will continue to bring us closer to Him and to one another. I pray I will always be a shoulder you can cry on and always have an ear to listen. I pray I will never fail to point you to the One true solution in your life and that the way your Dad and I raise you will cause you to never question His love for you. I pray that your Dad and I will always be a safe place for you and even though I know we'll fail countless times, that through it all, Christ will shine bright enough through us that you'll see Him far brighter than any of our failures. I pray He will always be the most important part of your life.

I love you Sweetheart. My sweet girl. My little love.

Mommy