Maddie, my niece, who is 3 years old: "But Daddy, I have to grow up. 'Cause I've got to be a mommy!"
Maddie: "Neen-neen, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Me: "A chef. Or an international traveler. What do you want to be?"
Maddie: "A mommy."
Maddie is the cutest 3-year-old on the planet (I have no biases). Besides pretending to nurse her baby dolls, she continually makes comments about being a mommy. I hope that, if it's God's plan for her, she will be a loving mommy some day.
Besides the genetic drives and maternal instincts that cause most women to want to be mothers, I know that Maddie's desire to parent comes from her own mommy, who does an absolutely incredible job raising Maddie and her little sister, Taylor. Here are the reasons why Kelly is such a fantastic mommy:
1. She is a working mom. Not only does she care for her little ones at home so well, she somehow manages to love each and every student at her school (and do all the paperwork and meetings and caseloads, etc. involved with her job).
2. Kelly disciplines with love. With her busy schedule, one might think she would turn around and snap at her daughters every now and then. Maybe she has (she is only human, after all), but I have yet to see her lose her temper with the girls. When they disobey, she firmly but quietly corrects them. When they whine, she stops them but gently explains the situation. She knows when they need firm instruction and when not to fight the battle because the whining will end on its own. This leads to...
3. She knows her daughters. She watches them. She listens to them. She spends quality time with them. She knows Maddie's fears and pushes her without making her feel more "scawed." She differentiates between Taylor's "I am being disobedient" mischievous smile and her "I am just being goofy" mischievous smile.
4. Kelly prays for her children. She and Charlie both try to authentically live out their faith, and it makes a difference, even at the girls' young ages. They read Bible stories and devotions to Maddie and get her to try to think from a Biblical standpoint--something to be said about that at the age of three.
5. Kelly makes sure that others are involved in her daughters' lives. I am so grateful that she makes an effort to Skype with me, to tell the girls about me when I'm in Bolivia, and to show pictures of me to Maddie and Taylor so they know their auntie despite the distance. I know she does this with other long-distance friends and family too. This, in combination with being intentional about time with nearby friends, teaches the girls the lifelong importance of community.
6. She is selfless. Kelly puts the needs of others, especially her husband and her children, above her own.
7. There are probably a billion more, but I have to stop and be reminded that the reason why Maddie looks up to her, the reason why she is such a good mommy, is not because of her. It's because of Christ in her. Though she would tell you she is still learning how to let Christ live through her and what that means in everyday life (a lesson I'm sure all the rest of us have obtained...right), there is no doubt that the love, patience, gentleness, self-control and selflessness she has as a mom are gifts from God. He is honored that she uses her gifts in being a mother to bring glory to the Father.
If I ever am a mommy some day, I will certainly take out these notes from observing my superhero sister.
It's obvious that Maddie has already sweetly written these lessons on her little heart.
