Jul 20 2008
Big girl, bigger faith…
Well, I wrote a little update about what our baby girl has been up to lately and need to now update you on our big girl, T's latest accomplishment.
As many of you know, T loves animals, and training them. She's specifically fond of horses, birds and dogs, and even more especially the ponies she rides, her late cockatiel and Samson, our German Shepherd dog, whom she's been "training" for years, and she and her brother's ferrets (one of which she'd also entered into a 4-H show last year).
Something I've really come to admire about T is how she'll get an inspiration, an idea, and will go after it with gusto... whether it's writing a story, creating or researching something, planning a project, or "training and showing" her animals. She keeps her eye on a goal and makes it happen, regardless of discouragement, doubts and sometimes a lot of waiting.
Here she is in 2005 (she was 6 years old, he was 6 months old!) around the time that she first became interested in training and showing him.
...and another here.
For some time, she's wanted to enter Samson in a local dog show (held just for fun and to raise money for the local humane society) during our city's annual week-long "Fun Festival" celebration. Up until last week though, it hasn't worked out, since for the past couple of years, Fun Fest has been during the same week as the annual week-long Summer Horse Camp that N and T's riding instructor puts together and N and T have attended instead.
However, this year, we were able to attend Fun Fest's Pet Dog Parade, and I do believe the timing was perfect for both T and Samson. She wouldn't have really been big enough to handle his 100+ # self in such a public setting before now (and honestly, we even had our doubts last week, and went into it praying for them both) and Samson probably wouldn't have had the maturity to chill out before this summer. But try and tell T that... the horse camps were a wonderful time in and of themselves, but also offered timely delays.
So, she had been working with him for months now, daily, entirely on her own, and had their routine all worked out. She's been watching dog-training dvd's, and reading some seriously mature books about understanding and training dogs. The big day came last Monday evening... and she was ready, but we wondered... was he? I'm sorry to have to say that even I cautiously discouraged her from going through with it, because I was afraid that Samson wouldn't handle it well (visions of trauma, and her having to endure failure- he gets very protective and growly when we take him to the vet). She assured me that he would do fine, I relented- knowing that he's a good boy, and I'm a bit paranoid- and we entered him into three different categories.
They did quite well together. Chris and I were so proud of T as she took him into the ring all by herself, answered questions asked of her by the channel 10 news man, and of Samson, as he went along so obediently, and played nice. We were all pleasantly surprised (except T, who'd expected it all along) with how well Samson did in such a public setting, surrounded by hundreds of other dogs.
- Handsomest Male: He tood 2nd place, out of 27 dogs! A dalmation took 1st, over him? Yeah, but YAY Samson and T!
- Best Costume: Samson and T received an honorable mention in this category. The competition was steep, with extravagant costumes on dogs and owners alike. T was dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood, and Samson was the Big Bad Wolf, naturally, dressed up as Grandma. I thought they were absolutely adorable, T with her red cape that her Aunt Barbara made for her, and Samson with a scarf over his ears, definitely the cutest pair out there!
- Best Tricks: Samson and T took 2nd place again! She did so good, competing against adults even. She had him sit and lay down by silent command, shake, do high-five/down low, jump up for a treat, and the clincher that made the crowd go "Whoooo...Aaaah" was when she balanced a treat on his nose, and he sat there with it, until she said "okay" at which point he tossed it up into the air and then caught it in his mouth (which she's taught him to do). A little schnauzer jumped through hoops to take 1st place, literally. She belonged to another homeschooling family that are friends of ourss, so it was fun to have them place before us. They deserved it!
As we left the show, N was triumphantly proclaiming, "Homeschoolers dominate!" Once again, T's big dreams and tenacity have paid off, and once again, she has inspired her older brother... along with the rest of our family. N has now already started working with Samson for next year's show, which he's claimed showing rights for.
And speaking of big... I took T shopping for new shoes last week, because only her flip-flops still fit her, and I am fumbling over the fact that she- at 9.5 years old- is now a size 8.5 in women's! Our little girl is not so little anymore... *sighs* And it's apparent to me that it's not only her feet that are growing... I only hope that my own faith would someday fill her big-sized child-faith-shoes. Once again, she's humbled me... and I am the one who's learning here- from her.
If only I could maintain and apply that same amount of faith that she has in our dog... to believing more in her innate abilities, in her brother's, in our relaxed approach to schooling, and in God's ability to bless my meager efforts to give and guide when and how I am able to in a meaningful way. If only I could dream that big with my husband today, and everyday, to joyfully invite adventure by taking more risks! Truly, to have the faith of a child... 'twould be good. I must remember, as did my determined little big girl, that it simply begins with following through on an inspired vision, the committed work of giving a whole lot of little bits of daily efforts, and then ignoring all the smart big people voices that discourage, "it won't work, you're not ready, etc., etc..."
Some of the most beautiful accomplishments my children have made have been those that they've done of their own accord and inspiration. As they are getting older, I am finding renewed vigor and validation to relax and enjoy this adventure of learning together, all the time!
And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent and become like little children, you can never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you";
My prayer today is this:
Lord, help my unbelief, touch my eyes that I may see and believe as a child does... and let not my lack of faith be a stumbling block to others. Help me to inspire and come alongside my children in meaningful ways, that I would never stamp out their sparks of interest, nor squelch their faith to go after big dreams, and stunt potential accomplishments. I know that you can do this... I do not want to get in the way.
**Update** T just wrote about the dog show here over at her blog.
How wonderful and how inspiring! Oh, to have the faith of a little child…