Why I Won't Be Washing My Mirror Any Time Soon

This school year we are trying very hard to create habits and schedules and sticking to them.  I truly feel that this is the only way that we will be able to function with all of our schooling, activities, clubs and other things that keep us going.  Since we have moved into our new home, this has been a whole lot easier.  Every morning the kids and I gather around the table for breakfast and scripture study.  Then, we adjourn to get ready for our day.  At this point the boys run upstairs and wash their hands and face, brush their teeth and get dressed.  Baby girl and I have a routine all our own.  First, I head up the stairs and call for her to follow me.  She then quickly makes her way up the stairs usually laughing the whole way.  Then we head to her room where she selects her clothes (or I give her a few choices and she picks).  After she is dressed she puts her clothes in the hamper and her diaper in the trash.  She then makes a quick stop by the boy's room to check in on their silliness and then we go down the stairs, step-by-step as she learns that climbing down stairs is a bit more complicated than going up.  Then we proceed to my bathroom, this is where the fun starts.

I swoop her up and plop her on the counter with her little toes in the sink.  I prep her toothbrush, which involves my turning on the water so that her toes get wet.  I brush her teeth, and then she takes over the brushing while I move on to brushing her hair.  We chatter back and forth as I tame her very short and thin red mane and place a bow on her head.  We always take a step back and admire ourselves in the mirror and then she toddles off for 30 minutes of TV.  This morning, she did something that took my breath away...

Once we were ready to step back and admire ourselves, she stood up in the sink and plopped the biggest slobbery kiss on the mirror!  She giggled and did it again and again, then looked at me and said "So Pretty!"  in her precious 16 month old voice.  Then, she left me to reflect on this moment as she toddled into the living room.  There I stood, facing myself in the mirror.  I am dressed for the gym, yoga pants and an old shirt with my hair pulled back.  Let me be honest, I rarely look in the mirror.  Mostly, just when I absolutely HAVE to.  I have always been terribly self conscious, and it has only gotten worse as I have gotten older.  I just don't like to see myself.  Here I have the most adorable baby girl who is rejoicing in her beauty!  She doesn't notice that her forehead has the biggest mosquito bite on it that it looks like she will turn into a unicorn at any moment, she doesn't notice a single flaw, she just knows that she is "So Pretty" and she is loved.  I want to be like her.  I want to rejoice in ME.  Today, I will rejoice in ME.  I will rejoice that I have a body that works hard to meet my daily demands.  I will enjoy my blue eyes and round cheeks.  I will smile because I am ME.

I will also leave those slobbery smudges on my mirror as a reminder that I am "So Pretty".  I will pray that I will be confident enough in myself so that my daughter will never be afraid to look in the mirror.  That she will know that she is loved, important and that she is worth more than gold in HIS eyes.  Today, my role model and hero is my baby girl.  She loves me for me, and doesn't see my flaws as flaws, but as part of who I am.  I am blessed.