Scott and I decided before Gracie was born that we would try to never tell her she couldn't do things. Don't worry. We would never let her touch something hot or let her play in traffic. We wanted her to feel like she could be and do anything her heart desired. We wanted to be encouraging parents.
It started when she was small. Newly verbal, she began by saying, "I do it." Like when she was just over a year old. She said this over and over. And she did do it. She walked. She ran. She jumped. And she flipped. And then, at seven, she broke her arm. And even that didn't stop her. She got her black belt in karate. She became a strong swimmer. She jumped off the high dive.
She has gone to camps and on trips all over the country (courtesy of Grandma and Papa). She has met new people. She has volunteered. She tries new crafts. This she gets from her artistic Grandma. She googled a recipe on the night of our anniversary and prepared a four star restaurant-worthy meal for us. She snaps photos. Like her dad. And she has a great eye. It's genetic.
She loves people. And she loves to talk and laugh. And make other people laugh. Like her mom. And her aunt. She is supportive and takes risks. She has a can do attitude that I wish I could bottle. She has been supportive beyond her thirteen years. She has helped me in difficult times. She was sunshine to her dad through his battle with cancer. She is her Papa's favorite nurse.
She is athletic. She plays hard. She runs. She lifts weights. She takes good care of her body. Especially her back. She has scoliosis and has been paying special attention to strengthening muscles around her spine.
Last year she made me a bookmark. I think that it sums up how simple her motto in life is. It says, "she dreamed she could, so she did." Definitely words to live and dream by.
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