Tenderheaded, Tenderhearted

Yes, that would be our Audrey...as tenderheaded and tenderhearted as you can get.

 We needn't discuss and scrapbook the ordeal of combing her tenderhead...but there are some extraordinarily tender moments in the demeanor of this child that I want to remember forever...and mimic myself.

 Like the tenderness of how she helped me decorate for Bible School yesterday, picking up little pieces of trash that I never asked her to do...

Or the way she whispered, "I love you, Mama. I love you, Buun Buun (Brenna)," as she drifted off to sleep last night...

Or the sweet compliments she so easily hands out to each of us concerning our appearance or our work on something...

And the way she told me everything was ok and that we are "just thankful we have keys"--when I was exhibiting frustration over leaving my church key at the house :)

And the way she appreciates time spent alone with me, "just us two girls", even if it's just going to the store. I think our morning time before Brenna wakes up, when she wants to "just snuggle" on the couch, is a very special time for both of us.

 When a friend is hurt and really crying, it's Audrey who sprints to the kitchen to get the boo-boo bunny, all on her own accord, to help them out.

She is my greatest asset on days when we keep kids, my right hand girl, always ready to help when I need it whether it's picking up the lunch plates or helping with clean-up or giving me a hug when she knows a friend is giving me a hard time.

Her first response to the knowledge that someone is sick is that we should send them a card and pray for them. And when we start getting too whiny about something, she likes to remember that our friends in Haiti have many more problems than we do.

She told me that she feels like she is going to cry when a grown-up gets on to her or when she feels like she did something wrong. And she does cry when a friend wrongs her. I wish I could teach her strength in these areas...but I think it just shows how much she truly cares.

She has become a great big sister to more kids than just Brenna...and they all love her tender and faithful friendship...which I believe is rare in a 5-year-old child or most children in this day and age. And I believe it is rubbing off on all of them.

 But it is the tenderness she shows with her Brenna that gets me the most every time. She looks after her and helps care for her every day from voluntarily helping with her shoes to finding her toys that are missing to drawing her pictures with their names on them to worrying about how she is just getting along.

With your own eyes, you can see what I'm talking about...

In this picture, Brenna had just jumped to the end of the long trampoline. Audrey had already returned from her jump and made it to the water table. She instinctively grabbed Brenna's water bottle, ran all the way back to the other wall, instructed Brenna to carefully step down from the trampoline, then gave her her water bottle, and walked with her hand on her back all the way back across the gym. She doesn't do things in a bossy way...it's truly all love.

 If that doesn't make a mama's heart swell with pride, I don't know what would.

 The days are ticking by when our big, tenderhearted girl will be going off to Kindergarten. I know she will fill that place up, too, with her big heart. I can't be selfish and keep it all to myself forever. But, man, I'm going to miss these tender moments all through our day.