Here's to you, my sweet girl...

*A hot lightbulb + cold water = shattered, dangerous mess.

*A $15 unfinished wooden nutcracker that HAD to be purchased but was discarded when painting it got frustrating.

*Two American Girl dolls, taken outside for a sledding adventure,  forgotten on the slopes and left in the snow for days.

These unfortunate events occurred at our house recently.  

Each were followed by a hysterical daughter...coming to me in tears.

And while I really REALLY could have gotten angry;

each of these exhausting messes were caused by my daughter's impulsive behavior,

I found myself filled with gratitude.

Gratitude that even after all we've been through together, in her time of desperation and regret, my daughter still came to me and trusted me with her mistakes.

I know that our future together will entail many adventures...some good and some not so good.  And I am positive that I will not always be able to fix the messes that my daughter gets herself into.  But I hope and pray that she will always feel safe coming to me...

even hysterically and in tears.

I love you, Soleil, even when you make messy, regrettable mistakes.