My Daughters

It was the Monday before school started. I thought it would be a great day to go on a nice bike ride with my girls. I talked to them about it the night before and was very excited to get some good exercise and spend time with my girls. Monday morning Reese woke up in a mood and she started fighting with grandpa (well I am not really sure which one started it). He didn't want the lights on because he wanted to save money on the electric bill and she wanted the lights on because she likes them on. Either that or she wanted to show grandpa he couldn't tell her what to do. She even called grandpa out on the tv being left on even when he wasn't in the room. It was rough trying to be a referee between the two. Reese needed to show respect to her grandfather and yet having a light on to work on school work is nice as well.

Then I went upstairs to talk to Celia about getting ready to go bike riding. She was busy working on some school work (yeah I am one of those moms who gives school work to her kids during the summer). She had other plans and ideas of what she wanted to do and she didn't want to go on a bike ride. "Mom, why do you make things sound like a choice in the beginning and then force me to do stuff." By that time I was ready to loose it. (There was also the stress of a traveling husband and not knowing how that was going on because it can never be just one stressor.)

So I told Celia, "Fine, do whatever you want. I just thought it would be nice to do together and you've been talking about wanting to exercise. Nevermind."

Celia ended up changing her mind, probably because she felt bad for me and wanted to try to be nice. I did explain to her about the fighting duo downstairs as well.

So we finally went bike riding. Grandpa decided to come a long as well. It was at this point that Reese started to get frustrated. She had to get off the bike and walk up the hills (she does not always do that). She was tired and she was missing having music on our ride and I was too.  My phone got wet and the speaker no longer works. There was a small fall and quite a bit of whining and "I am not going to get back on my bike until I want to" comments.

I was frustrated and looking at my beautiful daughters and wondering what I was going to do with their strong personalities. The personalities they were born with. Celia was born c-section, but as soon as they had her cleaned up she let out a cry that my mother heard from the hallway. Reese was also a c-section and they put her under lights for some jaundice issues in the hospital. Reese was so mad and only a day old and she pulled up on all fours screaming. They were born with a strength that has been a lot for me to deal with.

As I was looking at them Heavenly Father allowed me to see so much more than I had ever seen. There is a purpose to them having the personalities and strength that they have. Heavenly Father inspired me with these words in poem for them. (By the way, if anyone knows how to do artistic stuff, I would love and pay for this poem to be done nicely so I can frame it by a picture of my daughters.)

My Daughters

She was born with fire in her eyes

Unrelenting, spirited and stubborn

With a scream that could wake the dead

She questions everything

Never accepting status quo

She is a fighter ready to go the rounds

The word “NO!” etched in her brain

She challenges, humbles and teaches me

She is my greatest love, worst heartache and the joy of life

Her hug and “I love you” chisel my rough spots

Refining me and making it all better

She is her own Captain

I am her first mate

She will choose

I will cry and smile with her

Helping, advising and guiding her along the way

Back home to HIM

She is mine, but she is HIS

HE fearfully made her

Knows who she is destined to be

HE gave her that strength, attitude and stamina

Made her the fighter

HE loves her ALWAYS

HE wants her back complete

She will get there, with some guidance

May she ever remember she is mine

More importantly she is HIS

HE wants her back