The Howard Family: Inspired by One Very Special Little Girl

I've been a mother for just barely over 3 1/2 years now. I have come to understand over these past 3 1/2 years what an important responsibility I have as a mother, to teach my children. Not only to teach them how to care for themselves, how to count, the alphabet, etc, etc, but to implement the gospel in our home as an everyday part of life. I want my children to know why they are here, where they came from, and what the purpose of this life is for them.
I feel grateful to be able to stay home with them and work on this a little each day.

I guess I didn't fully understand how special, how strong, how sweet, how simply wonderful my little Gracie was until this past week. She has truly inspired me. I have focused so much on what I need to teach HER, that I guess I forgot how much SHE teaches ME. This past week has really opened my eyes.

Gracie did one of the hardest things in her very young life. She gave up her Binky. Now, before many of you go judging me, and her, let me simply say--you don't know the situation or WHY she still struggled with having a binky at 3 1/2 years old. I bet if you made your 2-3 year old move around and live in 6 different places in less than a year and a half your child would be dealing with some issues as well. Unfortunately, with all the change, the uncertainty, and the lack of control she felt she had in her life, her Binky became her security blanket. It wasn't so much a binky to her as it was her lovey thing. Her comfort, the thing that gave her a sense of peace and security. So please, keep the judgemental comments to yourself if you have them!

Anyway, we've been talking to her for a while about getting rid of her binky. We've tried a few times before, but it was never successful. But last week, she found this Beauty and the Beast baby doll and matching stroller she really really really wanted. I thought it was expensive for a childs toy. So right there in the store we talked about it for a good 20 min or so, and she agreed if I bought her the doll and stroller, she would give up her binky. She also said if she didn't I could take it back to the store.

We came home and Bryant was here. She told Bryant all about her new doll and giving up her binky. She decided it would be a good idea to send her binky to Santa Clause and he would take it to Parker's (our nephew, her cousin) new baby sister Brynn.
So, Bryant got an envelope and she wrote out (in 3 year old giberish of course) what he told her to. She addressed it to Santa Clause, put a return name on it, wrote a letter explaining what he was to do with it, drew on a stamp and put it in the mail. And it was gone.

Well, Gracie did really good. She went to sleep without it! First time EVER she's gone to sleep without the binky. But of course she woke up a while later crying for it. Well, she didn't acutally ask for it. She wanted to. She really really wanted to. She sat on my lap shaking (I think she was literally going through a detox from it) and just cried and cried. And I just held her and told her how proud I was of her. At one point she said through sobs "I want my B, B, B" she wanted to say binky so bad--I know she did, but instead she said "my B-Baby." Oh what a brave little girl!

It took a few nights of getting use to, but she did it! She got rid of her Binky! She is such a big girl. And I saw what a strong spirit she has going through this. She was determined. She was sad, but she knew she had made a promise to get rid of the binky. It's no wonder she, and all the other little children were saved for these days. If anyone can make it through the trials and adversity in todays world, it's these precious children.

Through the first few difficult days, she would often come find me, or crawl up in my lap and say "Momma, I love you. You're my best friend."