Princess Ladybug!

This is the month that people take time to list what they are thankful for on Facebook.  I have done my fair share of thankful posts and even if I don't post every day, I try to remind myself of what I have to be thankful for.  Among those that rank high upon my list is my husband, our two sons, their wives and our wonderful grandchildren.  I am thankful for each one for different reasons.  As no two snowflakes are the same, neither are people.  Today, I am thankful for Princess Lilli.

She is our first grandchild.  To understand her importance is to realize that I wanted to have more children, but God in His sovereignty chose to only give me two.  I also wanted a daughter that I could share my creativity and girly things with and once again God chose to give me sons.  My husband wanted a daughter so he could be her knight in shining armor.  So, when we found out that we were having a grand daughter, we were thrilled.  Does that mean that I love my sons less?  Absolutely NOT...they are my world and I am so very blessed to have them in my life, but this post isn't about them.  Lilli proclaims that she is "Papa's Princess!"  She also declares that she is my "ladybug".  The funny thing about that is Lilli has no idea that while growing up, I have always had a fascination with ladybugs...I just love them, no rhyme or reason, I just do because they captured my imagination. 

She is a combination of my son and my daughter-in-law.  So much so, that in some areas it is hard to determine where she gets her attitude from, but on occasion, I catch glimpses of myself in her.  When I took this picture, it was like looking in the mirror as a little girl.  The thoughts, a million miles away, the melancholy caught in an instant, a thought so strong that it stopped her in her tracks and caused her to stop all of that pent up energy to be still for just a moment.  What were you thinking Princess Ladybug?

I have been given the opportunity to share all that I wanted to with a daughter, with a grand daughter!  I can giggle and have tea parties, share the wisdom that I have learned and be creative with her, I can be her best friend because I do not have to be her parent and that gives me an influence in her life stronger than if she had been my daughter.

She is strong willed.  While that may get her in trouble now, it will serve her well as she gets older.  She will have the strength and courage of her convictions and no one will be able to sway her once she has made up her mind.  She is loving, trusting, merciful, compassionate and she desperately wants to know that she is important, that her life counts.  I've walked in her shoes and it is important that I remind her that she is fearfully and wonderfully made and that God loved her so much that long before she was a twinkle in her daddy's eye, He sent His only begotten Son to pay the price for her reconciliation to Him, because she is THAT important.  I pray that she will continue to be loving, compassionate, merciful, that she will follow God with her whole heart, soul and mind, that she will be a prayer warrior and an example of Christ's love.  I am so blessed to have this little one in my life, for the opportunity to be her Granna!