My Shotgun Rider (and Rifle Owner)

 Oh, sweetie,

I just had the time of my life on our last road trip because you were riding shotgun right beside me! We went to Spearfish, Deadwood, Medora...we went to ALL THE PLACES and you were my right hand girl, my navigator, my voice of reason. You have a million and one good qualities, Bee.

I love that you entered painting and photography in the fair this year. I love that you're carrying on Grandma Louise's legacy of creativity. I love that you have "gone country" back to roots that were established long before your birth.

You light up this world, darling. You light it up just by being you. I am cheering for you as you enter high school! Here we go on the last four years. You've GOT this.

P.S. I love your cowboy boots.

Love,

Mom

Confirmed

 It's confirmed, darling. You are strong, beautiful, and growing in your faith. Tonight was catechization, and you worked hard to memorize the meaning of the Lord's Prayer, The 10 Commandments, and other important things. You curled your hair (with my curling rod) so beautifully. 

I am proud of you. More important than any confirmation curriculum, keep walking with Jesus. Pick up your Bible daily, learn it, know it, and live it.

God has amazing plans in store for you!

I love you.

Mom

Eighth Grade Strong

 Darling Abby Girl,

My precious 13-year-old, I love you SO MUCH! It is one of my greatest joys to be in the same building with you all day. My heart soars whenever I catch a glimpse of you!

I have watched you run for student council and WIN; play volleyball; and go out for Year Two of speech, and I couldn't be more proud of you. Watching your convictions grow and seeing you living out your love for Jesus at VCHS makes me so happy.

I love you, baby! Permit next. You are already doing great things and have so many more ahead of you! You haven't let a pandemic slow you down in the least.

Love you,

Mom

Converse and Keys

 Hi, my beautiful Bee,

We had the most wonderful day in Fargo back-to-school shopping this week. I love spending time with you! You now wear Lululemons and Converse and straighten your hair and knot your shirt. You're so beautiful!

You also drive. I am so proud of the careful way you take on responsibility. 

I also like your voice when you pray. It is the softest, sweetest voice! I just want to bottle it up. I think it's because your heart is soft and sweet, too.

Keep leading your friends to Jesus! You are a great listener and are so loving. I am looking forward to seeing what eighth grade holds for you as you continue to grow up!

Love you, babe,

Mom

So Many Talents

Darling,

Daddy and I are watching your many talents just blossom! What DON'T you do? You are now taking gorgeous photos, embroidering dish cloths, starting plants in the window, baking Tiktok recipes, and making scratchers just like Grandma Larson used to.

I love how many things you enjoy. Your talents are wide and far-reaching!

You are growing into a gorgeous young woman inside and out.

I love you SO MUCH!
Mom

Oldest Cousin

Oh, Bee,

I love to watch you playing with your cousins. They bring out the absolute best in your: your creativity, patience, and kindness. Tonight when I arrived at Grandma's you were putting on circus tricks in competitive rounds. You and Adam were still able to get the old hands on knees and knees on hands and Adam in the air trick together. I wonder for how much longer you can do this one! When Adam jumped off, Jace rushed over and clambered up on you to take Adam's place. You patiently held his little kicking feet in an imitation of the move.

I love to watch you loving others.

Mom

Together

Oh, Bee,

I love that we go to school TOGETHER. I love walking to my new classroom with you and saying, "Goodbye! Love you!" and running into you in the hallways. It makes me so happy to share this life with you, my daughter!

You are handling 7th grade like a champ - school, volleyball, confirmation, babysitting. I am so proud of the young woman you are becoming. Through it all, you wish to glorify Jesus, and that is so beautiful. Christ looks good on you, my darling!

When I watch you at the lunch table, you are animated and deep in conversation with friends. How lovely, the gift of friendship! Keep being a friend to all, my love. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves, and you are doing this.

I am so proud to be your mom!
Love you!

Mom

I Love You, Bee!

Oh, Bee,

I love you so much! You are going to be a seventh grader! You have such beauty, and you want to do well at whatever you try.

This summer you have helped two neighbors with their houses while they are away, and you have made sure to do everything just right. You've also started mowing the farm yard! My little girl - making money!

Last night you suggested that we need a strategy to make it through the teen years and any disagreements we're bound to have. You said we should do something once a week (a walk) or once a month (a chick flick).

I'm in!

Let's make it through with Jesus' help and with a commitment to show love no matter what. You are a gift sent from above to me and Daddy.

We love you like crazy!

Love,
Mom

Babysitting Bag

Darling,

You took the babysitting class this spring at Elim church, and you are READY! You have compiled an amazing babysitting bag and treasure chest. I am so proud of you! I used to hire babysitters for you, but now you are ready to babysit others.

You are going to be a top-notch babysitter because of your creativity, organization, and work ethic.

Love you SO MUCH!

Mom

Alley Beans

Bee,

This morning you and I picked up Rebekah and Elizabeth Norby, and the four of us went to Alley Beans for a Bible study and some caramel frappes. What fun! I loved spending the morning with you, all girls. I love you more each day!

You are never as happy as when you are creating a project you've planned out. You finished a jar full of chocolate "flowers" for Nana's birthday party tomorrow (with only one pretty deep cut to your thumb). It looks amazing!

Keep creating! Keep growing. You are beautiful inside and out.

Love you!
Mom

Being Your Mom

Dear, sweet Bee,

I love being your mom so much! I am SO proud of you! I love the way you are living out your faith boldly at school. Today I ran your iPad to school for you because you are so responsible, and I wanted to bless you. When I absently pushed the home button while waiting in the office, up popped one word you'd written across the screen: Jesus. My heart leapt.

You are full of kindness and joy and goodness, my darling. You have so much love to give others as the love of the Lord spills into you and back out.

Good luck at volleyball tryouts tomorrow! I know you will be fantastic. You will be your best. You always are.

I love you, my darling,

Mom

My Beautiful Bee

To my beautiful Bee,

I loved the heart-to-heart we had last night. We went for a walk, all the way around Hanna Field, and we said some difficult things about being brave, starting conversations, and being someone who shows she cares about others. These things are hard to hear because they're not easy and take practice.

Yet.

A few hours later you called me (no, you actually CALLED me on a watch) down to your room at 11 PM. You were ready to respond. I love how you take time to think and internalize before you respond. It's so wise.

You told me you want to be the kind of person who helps and gives and cares, but you're worried about feeling rejected. We agreed that you'd try anyway, and that's worth so much. Thank you for your beautiful heart and brave soul. I know you will try. You will take risks. You will go out on a limb to love others. I know that because you are following Jesus, and He did these things.

Each day you grow in grace and beauty. You have been blessed with a gorgeous face and body. Sometimes when you're talking to me I get lost in your beautiful hair, eyes, and bone structure. I'm sorry; I'm just human! I admire your long legs when you walk toward me. You are stunning.

More than outward appearance, though, the Bible tells us that God looks on the heart. And what I see there is stunning, too. You are trying to pick up your Bible more and put our Creator's words into your memory and actions.

You are so kind to the cousins, to the Dahl boys, to Finley...you have a gift for taking care of small people, for planning, for giving instructions, for following rules, for design/art, for floral arranging, for songwriting, for persistence...

Speaking of persistence, congrats on your GRAND CHAMPION ribbons at the Bowman County Fair! Just think - 1,000 cranes. I am so proud of you! You saw that project through to the very end. Let this triumph become a symbol for all of the things you, Bee, are capable of. You are capable of moving mountains, my darling.

All my love, always,
Mom

My Sweet Chef

Hello, my sweet one,

You are blossoming before my very eyes into a beautiful young woman!

This morning I slept in and woke to the smell of frying pancakes that you had made from scratch. Thank you! The other night I was feeling hurried and stressed and you delivered water in a jar with an umbrella, ice, and three orange slices. Now THAT is good for the soul.

You are kind and giving and beautiful! 

You have also started babysitting. You've now watched Finley three times during co-ed volleyball. Daddy has been absolutely beaming with pride at what a thorough job you've done. You are responsible and thoughtful and have earned every penny.

I noticed last night, though, that you weren't thrilled about it.  You would have rather had a sleepover with a friend. Oh, my middle-schooler, I understand! You are growing up, and friends are so important to that growth.

I am thankful to be your mom. Watching you and being in companionship with you is a source of delight to me.

I love you, Bee,

Mom

Snow Day

We are home today on an unexpected three-day weekend. I found an old blog post about what a snow day was like when you were two. I read it out loud. It included things like, "Bop Baby Adam on the head with a wooden spoon. Say sorry." You laughed and laughed.

You are so grown up now! I already miss the little girl who drove me batty on a snow day, but I certainly love the young woman you are becoming, too.

Grow on, Bee! You are so beautiful.

Love,
Mom

Successes

Dear Abby,

Around Christmas you had several successes!

1. You received a letter from Mrs. Lentz about your character and class performance. You are so grown up!

2. You were hired by Mary to make origami table favors for our extended family Christmas. You took your order so seriously and delivered exactly as asked. I love how trustworthy you are.

3. You had a lead role in the church program "We Three Spies" with a solo verse of a song. You learned your lines completely on your own and said them with expression!  You received so many compliments from our church family. I was so proud of you up there, Bee!

Love you - whether you've having successes or not, it doesn't matter - I'll love you always and forever,

Mom

Emerging

Dear Abby,

You are so beautiful!  Sometimes I just like to stare at you with your fine features and your sweet smile. You are emerging into a beautiful young woman.

The other night I was so tired after coming home from working at the school. I knew I still had an hour or more of grading, three bags of groceries, and dishes to you. You popped out of bed and ran to the kitchen to help. You put away all of the groceries while I did the dishes.

I love the way you see what needs to be done and just help out! Thank you. It means so much to me. You are a hard worker! You help around the house so much.

I love you like crazy!
Mom

Origami Craze

Hi, Bee,

Right now you are in an origami phase!  Our house is covered with paper and scissors and many, many folded things. It's fun to watch you create!  You are careful and precise and good at following directions, and you have success in origami because of these qualities.

The other night we had Adam's family party and welcomed Bob, the punching dummy, into our family. You were so helpful with getting the party ready!  You started in on the work at 3:30 and didn't let up until guests arrived at 6:30. Thank you for being such a hard worker.  You help our family out in so many ways, big and small.

You are absolutely a joy!  I love you!

Mom

Tiny Things

Hi, my darling,

Right now you are enamored of small things. In stores you buy anything if it's miniature. I love this quirk about you!

You are creative and live a life full of color. You can often be found watching YouTube videos and getting ideas for new crafts.

Keep this up for your whole life!

Love you,
Mom

Volunteering

Hi, Doll,

Yesterday was your first day of volunteering for this summer - second year, though - at the care center. We went in together so you could find your new area of responsibility.  As we walked in, you said that you just wanted to give back from your talents and skills to others instead of watching a screen. I nearly cried at that! I am so glad that you are willing to give and serve. You are on the right path!

It's been fun watching you write songs lately, too.  You write a lot of Christian praise songs. You say that sometimes a phrase runs through your head and you just have to write it down and turn it into a song. I did not do this when I was little; this is a special gift that you have, my dear! Keep praising the Lord with it!

Love,
Mom

My Peacemaker

Hi, Doll,

You've been really busy lately with sleepovers and playdates.  Today was Rally in the Valley, and we were busy with the parade (sat by cousins), lunch, library, museum, shoe store, antique store...what a day!  We spent it with Jody and Abby Schnaidt.

At the end of the day we spent time reading books and taking about the day.  You are such a peacemaker, my sweet girl.  You always find a way to iron things out between friends.  Example: convincing Claire to give her extra frisbee to Abby.

Whenever we're finally back home alone, I look at you and am just so thankful that you are mine - that YOU are the kid I take home at the end of the day.

I love you like crazy!
Mom