I want her to think she is an average, everyday kid. And she is in so many ways. I also want her to think that helping people you don't know, dreaming this big, and spreading God's love is an average everyday thing to do. The moment I put the credit on her, the moment this project becomes about her. Then her head swells up and she won't be the pure, innocent Abby that wants to change the world. Right now, this project, in her eyes, is simply about helping people who are sick. And that is what it should be.
So instead I give the credit to God. (which is where it really belongs). I tell her, "God made you pretty special." So she knows she is special, but it is because of His handiwork, not hers, and not mine either.
People have said to us, "you must be amazing parents," or "you are doing a great job raising that girl." I would love to sit here and take all the credit. Maybe start writing some parenting books since I am so great at it. But the truth is, most of the time, I don't know what I'm doing. To be completely honest with you, I can't get that sweet kind-hearted girl to eat one vegetable. And I've given up trying. I have plenty of parenting mistakes in my past and I guarantee there are plenty in my future too. So I was trying to think of how on earth we ended up with this amazing child.
God made her. He did a great job too. But not only did He make an amazing little girl, He gave us a village. You know that saying: It takes a village to raise a child. It's totally true. It does take a village, and we have a good one. Our village starts with our church, our church friends, our faith-based school. It is our family friends that step in for us when we need each other. It extends to our family and our lifelong friends that live all over the country. My husband and I couldn't do this alone. We need a village. We need both our girls to have examples of how to live that don't come from us. They need adopted grandparents to see at church since theirs are miles away. They need older kids to look up to, role models to shape their goals after. Our village contains so many, I couldn't list them all if I tried.
So while I'd like to kick my feet back and admire myself as a parent, I simply can't. I can only thank those who have helped us raise our girls so far and those that will continue to help us raise our girls. I can only thank God for giving us this little girl in the first place. Everyday I learn more about His love, kindness, and how to serve others through her eyes. We are so blessed that God has given us this wonderful little girl, we just pray everyday that we continue to make positive choices for her. We pray that we surround her with people who love Him, and that they will be a good influence for her. We ask that He guide us to raise her into the young woman He created her to be.
Today we have less than 300 bags to deliver before we hit our goal and only 11 states left.
