Beauty from Within...

We went on a family date last night which consisted of dinner at Chickfila (gotta love Kids Eat Free on Tuesday nights with the balloon man present!), running some errands, and, of course, a trip to Wal-Mart. 

I know, I know, people think we are crazy, but we actually enjoy family wal-mart trips.  Even back when DH and I were dating (which was OVER twelve years ago!) we would go to Wal-Mart together.  I think it's really just that we enjoy being together no matter where, and for whatever reason, our outings usually involve a Wal-Mart trip.  On this particular outing, I needed to replenish my nail polish remover supply, which meant a trip down the nail polish aisle, which meant I just *had* to look at said nail polish:)  It's kind of like one of those "If you give a mouse a cookie" things.  LOL:)  In my defense, I've only recently started restocking my nail polish supply.  Up until about a year ago, I still owned bottles of polish that were purchased in HIGH SCHOOL ("Daisy the Pig" shade, may you rest in peace...)  So, Lucy helped me pick out a beautifully delicate shade of purplish-pink called "Butterfly Kisses." 

Before our homestudy interview

Before meeting GP's birthmom

I really don't know why, but something about having my nails painted makes me feel ten times better about life.  (How superficial does that sound?  ...Don't answer that!;-)  I remember before all of the major stressful points in our adoption process, my nails would get painted the night before.  Maybe it's because I'm a pianist, so I'm always aware of how my hands look, but for whatever reason, I feel more confident about things when my nails are done...

This Monday was parent observation day at Lucy's dance class.  They were supposed to get their costumes at this particular class, so I told Lucy I would pull her hair back like it would probably need to be for the recital.  She's been asking for over a year now to grow her hair out, so other than trimming her bangs, she really hasn't had a hair cut in a long time.  Still, it's not quite grown out enough to go up entirely into a ponytail, but I told her I would do my best.  I had no idea what a stir it would cause though!  As I started pulling her hair back, she gasped as her eyes
grew really big, and she said very dramatically, "Oh, Mommy!  This is my DREAM!  I mean, I didn't actually dream it when I was sleeping, but...it's just my DREAM, Mommy!" I knew she wanted to grow her hair out, but I just had no idea it was so IMPORTANT to her!  So, off we went to dance class on Monday, with my best attempt at a pony tail in my Lucy-bug's hair.  I couldn't help but chuckle as I watched her in-between dances staring at her hair in the mirrors of the studio as she happily and proudly flipped her pony tail with her hands.  The confidence that exuded from her really boggled me--all because her hair was up in a pony tail!  But as I type those words with my "butterfly kisses" painted nails, I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that:) 

Now, I realize all of this can come across as sounding pretty shallow, and you're probably picturing me and Lucy flipping our hair out as we chant, "Like totally, for sure, I even got a manicure..." but I know that my nail polish will chip away and have to be reapplied, and Lucy's hair will grow and change and probably get cut a few more times along the way.  There's nothing wrong with expressing ourselves through those different means (that's the artsy side coming out in us;-) or with wanting to look our best (taking care of the temple God has given us) and being confident in how God wired us...as long as we always remember what our True Source in life is.  My prayer for my daughter is not that she will seek beauty on the outside, but that she would seek to be beautiful from the INSIDE out, and I know one way for her to learn that is from seeing it displayed in her momma, because I know that a huge reason that I am who I am today is because of the life my own momma displayed before me.  Just this past weekend, I was saying how it was a rarity for me to wake up and not see my momma pouring over God's Word (but still with her mascara on, mind you!)  Oh, how I pray Lucy will see a momma who loves God and the things of God.  Rather than a woman reflecting on her own image, I pray she will see a woman who is a reflection of Jesus Christ.  I pray she would see a momma who does not seek self-assurance, but seeks GOD assurance by turning to His word daily...but if she just so happens to see some "Butterfly Kisses" on my nails as they're flipping through the pages of God's Word, I don't think that would be so bad;-)