Perfectly Mixed

This last-born of mine is quite the unique child.  They all are, I know.  But the blend that makes up Beth is really something special.

Usually when I make chocolate chip cookies (stay with me, here) I follow my favorite recipe and know exactly what I'm adding.  Sometimes, though, I get a wild hair and start adding in extra things.  Sometimes different nuts.  Sometimes different types of chocolate.  Sometimes pudding.  Sometimes chopped up candy bars.  Whatever I'm in the mood for or curious about.  I think the Lord had a head full of wild hairs the day He made Beth.  I believe He must have been quite pleased with Himself as He took His standard recipe and then started adding a little of this and a little of that.

A little extra curiosity.  A little scoop of creativity.  An extra heaping tablespoon of an adventurous spirit.  Stubborn determination?  "Yes!  In fact, she's going to need that in extra doses, so I'm going to double that!"  Tenacity?  Oh, yes.  And then I think He cranked up the blue scale when He colored her eyes, just to make sure the cute factor was there.  And He pinked the cheeks a little extra rosy, too.  Made that girl beautiful, He did. Then He added an overload of tenderness and adoration for those she loves.  And He took that brain and wired it in the most amazing way.  It's wired perfectly to keep up with and understand her curiosity.  And then some.  And just for kicks, He thought He'd make her a little extra tall.  And make her love dirt.  That girl loves dirt.  Perfect for her sense of adventure and exploration.  And I think He sealed all that together (the eggs of the recipe, if you will) with a sticky-sweet love.  This girl is slow to warm-up, but deep in her love.  Once you are her friend...oooh, does she love you. 

Now this beautifully mixed creation has grown slowly into her girlhood.  Being comfortable, shoot, being dirty, has always been preferable to being cute.  She has now been scooting more to the side of being cute.  Which is both a delight, as I'm not taking this child into public looking like we were crying out for help, and a challenge, as I now have two girls to please in the "how do I look???" department.  The child that would not keep a hair band in her hair for anything now wants her hair "just right". 

Anyway, today has been a day full of all those ingredients that make Beth Beth.  She found the PERFECT Converse shoes for school today.  Perfectly Beth at age 9.  A little touch of girlie with a lot of kickin' comfort.

And then, I walk in to my kitchen to load the dishwasher for the 112th time today, and see this:

One of her best buddies gave her this rubber dinosaur at cheer practice last night, and Beth wanted to see if it would grow bigger in a cup of water.  And what mother doesn't want to grab a cup off the counter and have a little dinosaur smile up at her?  The gift that keeps on giving.  Thanks, Grace.

This picture was taken a couple weeks after her accident, Brad's first day back at work.  I sent this picture to him, simply titled "She's back!"  It sums her up perfectly.

SO Beth!  Lace sleeved, flower-dotted t-shirt, covered in dirt!  That's my girl.

She's a little of this and a little of that.  And perfectly mixed.