How sweet she is

I don't know what happened to make her change. Just growing up and growing older probably. It seems like last year Abby and I were constantly clashing because of her selfish and independent spirit unwilling to bend to her parents requests.

This year she is full of love and selflessness and a desire to make people happy.

This past week on the way home from somewhere some evening, she got so excited. She told me, "I need to talk to you and Daddy about something tonight without the other kids around."

Her secret turned out to be an act of service. She needed Daddy to switch her and Ella's mattresses so that Ella would be able to sleep on the top bunk, which is something that Abby just knew would make Ella happy. She was just bursting with anticipation for Ella to discover this gift. It did make Ella happy. And Abby was filled with joy too.

Many mornings Abby wakes up and gets herself ready without me asking, because she knows I would want that. She asks how she can help and often volunteers for chores and babysitting and little things around the house. It's not all the time and she still has her moments of not wanting to be helpful, but it's such a different Abby from the girl she was last year. I sure like it!

I can imagine her growing up into such a wonderful young woman.

Today during church when people from the congregation can go to the podium and share their testimony with everyone, I asked the kids if they wanted to go up. Abby did. She felt shy and wanted me to come up with her which I happily did.

When we got up to the podium, she didn't want to talk out of nervousness. So I shared my testimony first, including some words about a daughter who teaches me how to be more like Jesus.

When it was her turn, she talked quietly about loving her family, all of us. She talked about when Ella was having a grumpy day, that she knew she could do something that would make her sister happy and then doing it and how it made her feel. She talked about not always being the best sister. Sometimes she's more of Ella's friend than her sister. It was so sweet. I've discovered that when you let Abby talk, and you have to be patient and just listen, she says very profound and true things.

I'm so thankful for my sweet children.