This is my baby......

While on vacation this summer, we had an opportunity to spend some gift money.  The two "littles" quickly chose stuffed animals......& Ana wandered around the store w/ a frustrated look on her face for over an hour. 

After watching her peruse the same isles at least ten times each, I finally took the time to talk w/ her as she looked....& looked......& looked.

Finally, as she picked up yet another stuffed animal, she confessed, "Mom, I just am not sure I want to spend my $ on a stuffed animal.  I mean, they are so cute here in the store, but I already have a lot, & I'm not sure if I'm getting too big to keep getting them."

I asked, "Are you sad that you think you might be out-growing stuffed animals a bit?"

She replied in the affimative, & there were tears in her eyes.....poor girl.  :(

And I got rather choked up, too.

I mean, isn't it kinda sad that they have to grow up?  Especially if they don't really want to yet? 

She is growing up-in body, & as this little snippit of her life shows-just a bit, in spirit, as well.

But, back to our tale.

I asked her if she would rather have a souvenir that she could use every day (emphasizing that as she gets older, her ideas of what is fun to buy will start to change-& that's ok)  & she decided on this beautiful mug.

(And a beautiful model's holding the mug here....) 

And, I'm super thankful that quite frequently, still, her "little girl" shines bright! 

But, oh, I need godly wisdom to navigate the waters ahead!  There are so many more important things for her to learn than how to shop-although everything's important, I know!

P.S.  Can I just say-I was so sad for her-seeing her sorrow over knowing she was too big to ever enjoy stuffed animals in the same way......uggg.