To My Little Katybug

I had to write what I thought about my youngest daughter for her 8th grade scrapbook. She's such a wonderful little girl, so this was easy. Here it is...

Sometimes the best things in life are surprises.

No more babies.  That was my plan. I had three beautiful children, and I thought our family was finally complete. But God had other plans. He decided we weren’t quite finished yet, and he gave me a wonderful surprise – my sweet little Katybug.

Amazing. Kind. Generous. Athletic. Hardworking. Smart. Bubbly. Positive. These are just a few words to describe my baby girl. Katy is rarely seen without a smile, she has a good heart, and she doesn’t let circumstances or people get her down. She surprises me everyday with her abilities, her humor and her sweet personality.

I’m glad that God sometimes ignores our plans. I’m glad that sometimes he has something better in mind. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank him for little suprises. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank him for my little Katybug.

thank you, GOD, for...

GOD,

i just wanted to take a few minutes to tell you thanks.

thank you for my cat, fluffy, who i trust you will heal b/c she's not feeling well right now. thank you for ebony and the time we got to spend with him. he was such a crazy cat, and i so miss him.

thank you for a hubby who loves me and our kids. thank you for his job, even though it can get a little stressful and long sometimes. i am glad he gets to participate in his kids' lives like he does.

thank you for my matthew, jonathan, lily and katy. they're good kids, and i'm really proud of them and of who they are becoming. i pray that their desire is to live for you and make a difference in this world.

thank you for my life. there were times in the past that i couldn't say that. thank you for sticking by me when i wanted to give up. thanks for loving me so much and for healing what's broken inside me.

thank you for my friends. some are closer than others. some are forever. some are for a season. thank you for them all. thank you for my enemies. i learn a lot from them. i learn a lot about myself through them. i learn a lot about grace and forgiveness because of them. bless my friends and enemies alike.

thank you for extended and honorary family members.

thank you for the good times. thank you for the bad. both teach me about you. both teach my about me. thank you that you are good regardless of the circumstances in my life.

thank you for the air i breathe, the colors i see, the aroma of fall, the rain that replenishes, all the things i take for granted. open my eyes and my heart that all those and more will become more real and alive than ever before.

thank you for my future. i know you have plans for me. help me accomplish those plans with humility and fearlessness.

i do ask some things from you: a genuine smile, a content and compassionate heart, wide-eyed and twinkling eyes, helping and caring hands, innocent and harmless motivations. help me walk in forgiveness and give me love that will melt away fear and cover a mulititude of sins and shortcomings. make me like you.

thank for all this and so much more.

amen!