Ode to Addie

Addie is at that age where we finally can have fun, enlightening conversations, and when she sometimes teaches me a thing or two. Here are just a few lessons I've learned from my tender-hearted, precocious 4 year old:

* faith
Addie has prayed for days that she would awake to snow on Wednesday. I dreaded having to tell her that the weather had changed and we would receive only rain. Her response? "That's ok. I'll just keep praying everyday until we get snow."

* forgiveness
There are days I go to Addie 2 or 3 times to confess my anger and ask for her forgiveness. She always readily gives it, but a few days ago she tacked on this statement: "Yes, I forgive you. You're the best mommy."

* the joy in pretend
One of our favorite bedtime routines is to make up stories starring princesses, Peter Rabbit and herself. Sometimes the stories stretch over 4 nights; sometimes it's just a quick blurb. I had forgotten how fun it can be to imagine and pretend to be in a whole new world (que music).

* loyalty
Everyone is Addie's best friend - even friends she hasn't seen in years. She will mention a boy or girl she hasn't seen in years, or maybe someone she met briefly at the mall, and ask me questions about how i think they are doing now. For her current friends, they are mentioned in her nightly prayers - which can last several minutes.