My Horse Whisperer

Kayleigh has big dreams. She wants to be a vet like Pascual. She loves animals and wants to be able to help them when they are sick. She also wants to be a rock star. She has a lovely singing voice, and is always listening to music. As a parent you want to encourage your kids toward a direction where they will succeed in life. The challenge in parenting I have learned over the years, is to encourage their dreams, not your own. When they say "I want to be a....." I just listen and say "What is it about being a ___ that you like..." Often times I find it has nothing to do with the job or career, but is a deeper, metaphysical or spiritual meaning behind the desires... And sometimes, it is just a little kid trying it on in their mind like a dress up outfit... to see how it fits. A vet fits with her... So does a singer. She likes ballads and country music and songs with meaning. She is deep. She is also one of the sweetest, kindest people I know... Always willing to help, wanting to do nice thing for people. I like to think she got all the last and best bits of me when God made her... But she is just so uniquely Kayleigh. The funny things she says, without thought of how they will come out. Her candid displays of emotion from her pure loving heart. This kid doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She is the kind of kid everyone wishes they had, and I was lucky enough to get.

My maturity as a parent really has come in the last 10 years since her birth. Parenting in my 20's was drama, in my 30's was stressful, and now in my 40's... I am loving it. I love being a mom. I sometimes feel bad for the older ones, who didn't have the benefit of the kinder, more patient mommy that Kayleigh has. But they forgive me, and tell me that they had great childhood years, and wouldn't want another mom. My heart feels full all the way to the top today.

I know I need to do my 100 more things. I am contemplating some things I have read on some blogs recently. My favorite blog to read is Kelly's , and she talks about another blogger Andrea's idea called Mondo Beyondo. It is a concept I will roll out tonight. A cool way to say goodbye to the old year and embrace the new, and then to put big huge dreams out there for the universe to send back to you. The bigger and wilder, the more Mondo Beyondo it is... This is gonna be fun! I am starting that as soon as I finish my last 100. It is a perfect place to transition to before listing my 1000 things Bucket List. To those of you who have emailed me encouragement and comments on my blog... THANK YOU! Who would have thought that a little on line journal would become such a fulfilling part of my life. Please feel free to post on my blog. So many of you send me sweet emails, but I would like to share your words with others. Don't be shy. Speak up! I never thought I would be saying this... the one who likes to keep things private... but it is in the sharing that we grow as people.