Mom to Mom | Thankful for The Village

Every night Steve and I tuck the kids into bed and pray with each of them. Since they have been sharing a room lately, this happens together as a family. Steve usually holds Kellan and I sit with Addisyn after tucking her tight with blankets. Steve begins the prayers and prays over Kellan and then for our immediate and extended family members, and then I continue the prayer by praying over Addisyn and for our friends who are hurting. My prayer always begins something like this:

“Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you for Addisyn. I pray that she has sweet dreams and that she wakes up tomorrow feeling healthy. I thank you for her sweet nature, her silly jokes, and her adorable smile. Lord, most of all, I pray that she knows she is incredibly loved and cherished each and every day…”

I pray this over her because, as her momma, one of the most important things to me is that she knows she is deeply loved. Not just by me, but by her dad, brother, and friends. I don’t want her to ever doubt that. I don’t want us to have a bad day and she have to question that. There are some days I fail miserably at showing her that I love her throughout the day. It might be my short-tempered responses or my lack of patience, but on those days, when I sit to pray with her, I still go through my prayers in the same way. I try to slow it down and look into her eyes and tell her all those things without any frustration.

The other day my friend Xio asked to have Addisyn over for a Frozen themed tea party to celebrate Addisyn’s birthday. Xio knew that we weren’t throwing a party because we took Addisyn to see Frozen on Ice and we couldn’t afford to do both. I should have known better, but when I walked into the room that she set up, it was prepped to the nines for two very adorable princesses; Anna and Elsa. My heart just filled with joy when I saw all the love that went into that tea party. I knew Addisyn would feel loved and so super special. And she did! She beamed with excitement when she walked in to see it, clutching her hands together and whispering that it looked so beautiful. I had a chance to snap a few pics before we left the girls together and shut the door so they could enjoy their own private tea party. As Xio and I sat in the kitchen, all we heard were giggles, singing, and “Let it Go!” on repeat. My heart was full just knowing that she was having this special time. On the car ride home I asked her, “Addisyn, wasn’t that super sweet for Miss Xio to put together such a lovely tea party?” She replied, “Well, of course. I feel super special today.” As Mommas, I think it is just as important that we surround our Littles with a village of family, friends, and neighbors who love them, as it is, that we love them ourselves. Today, as I look through these pictures, I am especially thankful for those precious relationships in her life. Addisyn still talks about this tea party and I know without a doubt that she feels cherished and loved, not just by me, but by her village.

XO,

Stacy