Grow: Five Minute Friday

Kate's Twitter Party was a lot of fun this week. (Or so I heard) My daughters had their spring concert, so I was taking snapshots instead of typing. Here's the linkup to Five Minute Friday.
This week's prompt?

"Grow"

2011, my firstborn and her first year of pre-school just ahead of us. (And her sister)

Wow. That's not a hard prompt considering where I was tonight. My oldest daughter is finishing the third grade in a few weeks. My second born had her first grade contribution to the spring concert tonight. In two years, all three of my girls will be in the Elementary group. And then they'll start springing like butterflies into the whirlwind of middle and high school and flutter away from home.

I'm not the nostalgic, cling-to-each moment kind of mom. I admire and sometimes envy those moms. The ones whose children seem to have a special bond. They hold hands in the parking lot, the hallways, they're always hugging! I'm so practical and logical and, well, I'm a math teacher. I do have my fun, creative, artsy side. And I love to be hugged by my girls, but sometimes I don't remember to initiate.

My oldest and I joke about her height. She's finally taller than my armpit. (Hope that's not too visual for you, but she's not to my shoulders yet, so that's the next logical milemarker.)
I see them growing physically, but where I'm so ecstatic is in their spiritual growth!
Our older two girls have made the decision to get baptized at our church in two weeks. They are seven and almost nine! And they know what it means and their reasoning is that "they want other people to know they have Jesus in their hearts."

My parents decided that investing in their grandchildren was more praiseworthy than in the stock market. So, 4 1/2 years ago, they committed to helping us put our girls into private pre-school, which happened to be a K-12 school.
Between the school we're at and the church we're at, our girls have been discipled so well by so many who have a personal relationship with Jesus themselves! They believe what they teach and they model it in their own life.

This year I've had the privilege of coming on staff alongside these dear sisters and brothers in the faith. Truly, it's been the job of my dreams. The friendships I've formed have been eternal.

And grow? Wow. Put yourself in middle school again. You will grow. Hallelujah. God is continuing to work out my salvation! :)
I love my students. I love math. I love teaching math. And I especially love when I can come alongside them when they're hurting and pray over their situations and reassure them that they're not alone.

I hope to continue to see them grow into their calling. I feel like I'm home already. Heaven will be just that much better. Although, my students don't foresee Algebra as Heaven.

This was a recent trip to an old-fashioned malt shop. My youngest was just months old when the upper picture was taken.

-Tammy