Maddy's 8

Our oldest baby girl is 8 years old.  Durk and I can still remember holding this child for the first time, the most surreal and magnificent moment in our lives.  I can remember beginning to fill her 'US coin map' with quarters and thinking, they'll stop making these in 2008 - when she's 8! The thought just rocked me.  And now that we're here -- I can't believe it (don't want to?).

She is growing up. Fast.  She knows what she likes - and what she doesn't like.  She's reserved but when she needs to speak up - she does.  She's beautiful and she's been entrusted to us by God.  We are really trying to soak up this sweet time we have with her.  Although so many parents with older kids admonish us to do just that, as if that sweetness can only last while they are little, I often wonder if that sweetness has to end at all.  Sure, hormones come into play, but I believe we can still nurture a relationship with our little ones that extends into their teenage years and only gets better with time.  

If you have older kids, please share what you have done to nurture a sweet and loving relationship with your child(ren) into their teenage years -- or what you wish you would have done in retrospect.  Or both.  

I look forward to hearing from you...