A little too much like Mommy...

This past Saturday was the annual "Great Pumpkin Festival" in Brainerd. It had been crummy weather all week long, but (thankfully) Saturday was a bit warmer and the sun was shining! The festival is designed for families with pre-school and elementary school aged children, and really focused on good old fashioned fun. There were pumpkin giveaways, 3 legged races, wheelbarrow races, potato sack races, craft tables, food, lots of sidewalk chalk, and Sammy's personal favorite: the pumpkin rolling contest!

Even though most of the events Caleb is just not quite old enough to participate in, it was so fun to be outside in the sunshine and enjoy the fall day with some friends and our kiddos. And every year I am so surprised at what a determined little girl Sammy is!

Here's a picture of her getting ready for the potato sack race. She ended up only doing a couple of steps of the actual race...just look at how big that bag was! But she was set on trying, and trying she did!


We spent some time at the craft tables and playing with the sidewalk chalk as I chatted with some former co-workers. We also played on the swings and slides while we waited for the pumpkin rolling contest to begin.

Here Brad is giving her some last minute instructions!


Ready....set....


And she's off! The course was a bit tricky...the lines weren't straight so Sammy had to figure out how to change directions with the pumpkin.


But she just kept going...


...and going...

Even though all the other kids had already finished, she just kept pushing that pumpkin and asking, "am I there yet?" She never gave up; she was determined to finish!


And at the end, one of the workers gave her this ribbon, which I think was reserved for the kids that actually won each of the heats of each event. She was SO EXCITED to get it!

Bless that woman!


As we were walking back to the van, I just couldn't be more proud of my little girl. She is a tiny, little thing, but what she lacks in size she makes up for in determination and spirit. She fears NOTHING and is willing to try most anything. She wants to do well, and she loves performing for an audience. She has spunk and a twinkle in her eyes.

And she is so determined. She has little goals (like lining up her princesses in exactly the right order), and she can't move on to anything else until she has it just right.

So, in other words...she's a little me.

I sigh a heavy sigh as I write that. While I love seeing some of the qualities come out in her, I also know...quite well...that those same qualities have their downsides.

Sometimes determination can make cause you not to let some things go....

Performing for others may cause you to think performing well will earn other's love and attention...

Sometimes being the life of the party can be quite lonely...

Being too focused can cause you to miss the little things happening around you...

So as I sit here and think of my precious daughter, I will continue to pray that God teaches her and refines her and continues to create her into the young lady He wants her to be. I also pray that I will be loving in my actions and words as I help shape and sand a bit of her rough edges.

But, most of all, I pray that she won't aspire to be like Mommy...though deep down inside my sinful soul I want that some days...but I pray she aspires to be like Jesus as she sees Him in me.