Hair bows

Seasons change, and kids grow. Sometimes painfully catching us off guard, it seems our sweet babies morph into little humans with minds and tastes of their own.
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I remember when this first started happening with Riley. It was hair bows. Oh, how we loved hair bows. We loved to buy them. Loved to match them to outfits. Loved to put them in her hair. Even though she barely had any hair.
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For years, hair bows were her thing.

Then one day it was over.

She was done with hair bows. And that stung me in some surprising ways. I was a little taken aback. Why did I care so much about hair bows? It was fabric and clips! What was going on with me? Then I realized. It represented more.
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It represented a shift in her mind. She was growing up. And I wasn’t ready.

I’ve had to come to grips with some things since my children began the process of becoming themselves. I’ve learned to embrace their individuality and expressions. To wait patiently and try to not react to the harmless style choices. And to know that it is not about what I like anymore.
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The truth is, I really never thought that I would pay real live U.S. dollars on boys’ jeans that someone had violently demolished and then folded and placed on the store shelf. Or that I would share my straight iron and hair bands with someone in this house that ISN'T RILEY. But I like it. I like it.

As long as your hearts are right, and you are truly being you, express away my sweet babies.

I am thankful that I came to this place before last weekend when Riley made a request to express.


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And I was able to grant it to her, with a smile.

I think years ago I would have thought it was weird and a little too out there for a sweet little girl. I probably would have discouraged it. But I‘ve grown.

Although I may not have chosen it for her, I think it’s fun (plus it fades away after a couple of washes). And she loves it. She thinks it looks awesome. After all, it’s not as if she is trying to portray herself as someone she isn’t. It doesn’t represent anything except that she is a girl who wants to express her pink.

The same girl whose heart is the purest of pure.

The same girl who loves Jesus and her family in the deepest possible way.
The same girl who is as tenderhearted as the days when she wore sweet little dresses with matching hair bows.

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Hair bows get packed away in boxes before we are ready, saved forever by mommies for reasons they cannot quite articulate.

Hair bows end.

But beautiful hearts live forever.

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