My One and Only

Piper, my one and only daughter. She's beautiful, isn't she? This week she performed in a gymnastics exhibition and a dance recital. I consciously worked at taking it all in - yes, I desperately need to remember all of the "girl stuff" that I will never experience with my 3 boys. When Piper was about 3 years old, I began to realize that she was not at all like me. She didn't have a tomboy bone in her sweet body but instead, she was made for pink bows and tutus. It killed me at first. I wanted a tough little girl like I had been. I wanted a volleyball playing, cop-loving, tough talking, "I can do anything as good as the boys" little girl. God decided to teach me a lesson. What I wanted and what I needed were two completely different things. I have learned so much from my beautiful Piper over the last 9 years. She is good, she is kind, she is soft-hearted, she is Godly. You may think it crazy to call a 9 year old "Godly." But then again, you probably don't know Piper. She prays for the sick, for the downtrodden, for the addicts, for her teachers, for her friends, for her brother still in China. She cries when she has hurt someone and she does not let pride stop her from apologizing. Piper, my one and only daughter. I love that little girl and I thank God for knowing I needed her in my life.