Tomorrow is Princess P's birthday!

As a mom, there are so many things we want for our children.

We always want to give our kids more.  

Our job is just to give them enough.  

We want them to feel like they're on a mountain top every day.

Our job is to show them the satisfaction of climbing the mountain.

We want for their best to always be good enough.

Sometimes our job is to redirect their efforts so it will be.

  

 It's hard to believe at 4:23 am tomorrow, my baby girl will be seven. Princess P has a passion about life, a zest to her, that brings sunshine (and sometimes thunder & lightning!) to those around her.  She feels deeply, and lives deeply, diving head-first into whatever she wants to do, and dropping without regret those things she doesn't.  She's not afraid to ask what she wants, when she wants it.  She is still learning to take no with grace sometimes, but she knows it's always okay to ask once.
     This year she asked for a birthday party.  Her birthday is on a Saturday, and she's never had one, so how could I say no?  The expectations started out big, the pool with every child she's ever played with at recess and the park and in her class and her girl scout troop and every single sparkie from AWANA.   Could all of Ms. D's friends come too?  We  gently explained that while that would be nice, it was outside the scope of what we could afford....a good precedent to set before she starts planning her wedding.
     We settled on a sort-of-intimate Hello Kit-"tea" party at our home.  We narrowed the guest list to just under a dozen of her closest friends.  We planned a craft, sprung at Amazon for a themed game, and bought the mix and toppers for the cupcakes.  Tomorrow will be a big day.