I looked out the front window as my little girl stood still for over half an hour with her little hand outstretched, waiting for the butterfly that was flitting around the flower bushes to land on her hand. I saw the look of awe and excitement as finally the beautiful yellow butterfly landed on her hand for a few seconds. In she rushed to tell me that the most wonderful thing just happened to her! I had to sit down so she had my entire attention. For the next 15 minutes she told me about an event that took less than 5 seconds to happen. What excitement!

I decided to surprise my family and come home early one day. As I walked in the front door, I heard a serious conversation going on in the house. As I listened carefully, I realized that the conversation was entirely my daughter. I peeked in the living room and saw her on the floor, with her dolls seated around a towel on the floor. The towel was set as a table with little plates, silverware and teacups. My little girl was talking to each doll as if they were highly treasured guests. Her expressions mimicked those of her mother. She laughed at jokes her guests told between seriously showing her guests how real women held teacups, dabbed their lips and never burped at the table! I waited till she had politely excused all her guests before I grabbed her in a big hug. Then I was given a place at her table and served chocolate cake (made of mud) with my cup of tea (she asked Mommy to make Daddy a cup of his favorite tea). We talked about the fun time she had at the tea party today. Unfolding my cramped legs I finally asked if she wanted to wash the dishes and go for a walk with me.

My first wife was dying with cancer. Her cancer had metastasized to her brain giving wicked headaches. As she sat in a rocking chair looking out the window to her front yard, my 3 year old girl went to the bathroom, wet a washcloth and carefully place it on her forehead.

Last week we talked about boys – this week girls. Isn’t it wonderful that both are so different and yet creative, excitable and fun – in different ways? Let’s encourage our young girls to grow to be distinctively young women. Let’s let them maintain their unique and wonderful identity.

None of us are perfect as individuals – nor are our marriages perfect.  As we work together to maintain our love and a strong marriage, our homes will be a good environment for growing and happy children.