Those Amazing Kennedy Kids!

I am so proud of the people my children are becoming. As their personalities develop, and as they grow in character in various areas, I am amazed at the grace of God at work in their lives. I remember when the kids were very little, and I was a discouraged young mom. My friend, Laura, said to me one day, "Don't put so much pressure on yourself. I am proof positive that God's grace is abundantly available. My kids are turning out great (in spite of me)." Definitely true words! Scott and I are far from the perfect parents (just ask my mother!) Nevertheless, our kids (while certainly not perfect) are turning out pretty good so far!

Abigail is eight. I have seen her growing into an terrific big sister lately. She seems to be able to sense when I need a hand, and will entertain her brother. She loves teaching him his alphabet, numbers, etc. She often asks to read him his bedtime story before they go to bed. (She's an awesome reader!) Abby has always struggled to share, but I have noticed her becoming more generous lately, as she grows and learns to put God's desires before her own. Caleb, of course, adores his sister. He often declares, "Abigail is my best friend". Don't get me wrong: they fight plenty! But they love each other, and are on the way to building a sibling bond that will last a lifetime.

I have also noticed that Abby is developing a wonderful sense of self-discipline. She will do her homework and her Sunday School memory work with little assistance. She also eagerly accepts additional challenges: advanced reading, extra credit projects, etc. Now, granted, the "rewards" often associated with these things helps! But a personal pan pizza is a small reward for the valiant effort of reading forty books in a week. I am glad to see her so motivated. I've also noticed that Abby is doing her chores with a lot less grumbling, and she enjoys taking on small responsibilities, like packing her own lunch. And unlike her mom, who was labeled "class clown" in 2nd grade, she is self-disciplined in the classroom. The teacher assistant told me that the teacher often asks the other children to "behave like Abigail".

Caleb is our little knight. He is almost four, and already seems to be developing a sensitivity and sense of chivalry toward females. One day, his sister dressed up in her fanciest princess clothes and stood in the bathroom, admiring herself in the mirror. In walks Caleb, and says, "Oh, hi. You look pretty, Abby!" Not long after, I came out for church one morning dressed in a long, flowing skirt. Caleb looked up and exclaimed, "Mommy looks like Cinderella!" (I love this kid. I thought, "Boy . . . if you keep that up, I'm going to beating the girls off with a stick.") One day, a little girl in his preschool class was crying because she missed her mom. The teacher told me that Caleb took her by the hand, and led her around school with him. Before long, the little girl was smiling, and having a great time. And just recently, when his sister tripped over a toy, and pieces went flying everywhere, Caleb sat down beside her and said, "Don't worry, Abby. I will help you."

We have also observed that Caleb is growing in his interest in spiritual things. He loves to pray before bed, to say the blessing at meals, and to sing songs like "The B-i-b-l-e". He has a real curiosity about God. One day, we had a talk about how Jesus could live in our hearts. He said, "Mom, Jesus can't be in my heart. He is too big!" (Try explaining that to a 3-year-old!) I did my best, and somehow, we got into a talk about how we were going to go to heaven with Jesus some day. He said, "How will we get there. Will we drive our car?" After I stopped laughing, I told him Jesus would come back to get us on a white horse. He said, "Wow, can we ride the horse to heaven? And mom, can (my cousin) Georgie come, too?" He's a sweet and funny boy.