My daughter, the writer

I swear my daughter arrived to this world with a gift of goodness in her heart. Born premature she spent the first month of her life at Children's Hospital in Denver, CO. There with the help of nurses and doctors she learned how to breathe, eat and keep her heart beating in the process.

When she was three she began preschool at St. John's Catholic School. I was teaching her about praying and we talked about who God and Jesus are - very basic three year old stuff. It was during this conversation she told me, completely unprompted, "I know who he is Mommy, he came to see me when I was a sick baby in the hospital."

Speechless, tears sprung to my eyes and I said, "I bet he did, you were pretty sick."

You should know that we are believers in God and align our family with the Catholic church however on paper, we're really bad at being Catholic. We don't tithe or really even go to church. Yet, somehow Charlotte is always reminding us of God's presence and will.

This year at school her Thanksgiving Book was kept by the teacher to use as an example and in her words, here is what it said:

I am thankful for...
By, Charlotte

I am thankful for the Lord to guide me.
I am thankful because I am kind.
I am thankful for my dog to play with. (Note: he died years ago but she still loves him.)
I am thankful for a friend to talk to at school.

Pretty good stuff. None of it said, I am thankful for my Wii, or Ugg boots, which makes sense because we have no gaming system and her clothes are from Target.

Last night as I cleaned the playroom, I came across her notebook. She uses it like a journal of sorts, drawing pictures, writing wishes, etc. In it I found the following about what Christmas means to her. I'm typing it verbatim, phonetic spelling and all. :)

Christmas Time
By, Charlotte
Christmas is a time to spend time with your family.
It is also a tridishon (tradition) to give too.
A time to give!
Then we celebrate God's birthday.
I love this holiday!
A family to decorate a tree with, lights and ornaments too.
To hang a wreath.
Have ham.
Have a school break!
Evryone (everyone) comes home from work.
Time to decorate every single inch.
Hang bells on dors (doors).
Light candles.
Cold chilly snow rolls in.
Look for Angels in the sky.
Shake your snowglobes up.
Listen to your music boxs (boxes).
Watch A Christmas Story (title was even underlined).
Hang stockings too.
Santa comes and brings presents.

Recently at a conference her teacher described her as a "peacemaker" who gets along with everyone and wants people to play fair, act nice and follow the rules.

I'm proud to be her mom and thankful she reminds me of what's important.
Charlotte for president. Well, not really, she'd have to become a politician to do that and she embodies the polar opposite of what that would require.