Monday, May 19, 2014

Dreams



When she was small I always wondered if I would ever know her gifts, her passions, her talents.

How would I know if I should encourage her in ballet, or writing, or water polo?

Someone once told me, "Just put them in several different activities and you'll discover what they like."

But with many small treasures the Cowboy and I have to be wise, not only with our finances, but also with our time. 

We decided long ago that we didn't want to spend our days in the car toting the kids from one place to the next. Our desire for our family is just that, to do our best to spend our time together, as a family, not as seven separate folks all pursuing our own interests. And so over the years we have been cautious and prayerful as to what we do with our time, as to the commitments that we make outside the farm gates. Before we move forward with an activity we ask ourselves, "How is this going to bring our family closer together? Is this going to interfere with family dinners, our family worship times? Is this going to strengthen us or strain us?" And sometimes the reality is that sacrifice is necessary for a season in order to get to a place that will ultimately bless our whole family.




Sometimes when you look at your girl's face on the morning of her birthday and you hand her a brand new pair of boots and you tell her that she's gonna get to ride a horse and she just squeals and jumps and claps and grins from ear to ear, and all of a sudden her passions become clear as day, and you become glad that you and your man sat on the porch night after night and figured out a way yo make it all happen. 

All the kids love horses, but the Dancing Girl, LOVES horses. 

She's been in classes for six weeks now and this past weekend our whole family was able to come and watch her do all that she has learned. She really is a natural. She led that horse around the arena like she had been riding for years. 




I love that precious face of hers. I love the way it lights up when she rides. 

My Siah and I are next in line for lessons. 

And Lord willing, we will bring home a couple of horses of our own someday soon and I can hardly wait to see the look on my little love's face when we do. 

Such joy in discovering what makes these kid's hearts beat. :)