I Am - guest post by Paige Stilp

Paige on a recent field trip to the zoo

The girls have been bringing home piles of school papers, half filled notebooks, and mostly used school supplies.  They do this in stages to prepare for the last day of school.  Paige (7 years old and our baby) is finishing up first grade.  I seriously can't believe it.  There's something about her that seems time warped at age two.  I wonder if we'll always view her as our baby?

showing off her new glasses and how tired we were after a day at the zoo

As Paige pulled papers out of her backpack this afternoon, she unpacked a treasure trove of "Must Keep For the Rest of My Life" documents.  I'm such a pushover for anything creative, especially stuff the kids write or draw.

I found this imaginative piece.  The assignment was to create a Dr. Seuss-like animal. Paige's creation was a "camorseat."  Per Paige's description, "It's a combination of a camel, horse and cat.  It has four eyes, a camel head, a horse body, and a cat tail.  It has rainbow colors and it's habitat is mixture of desert and forest."  I would love to meet one of these in person.

Paige's Camorseat

Paige has always been a little Rule Follower.  When I found this enlightening piece on the dangers of bark chips it was all I could do to not burst out laughing.  The captions on the illustrations are so funny.  "Good.  No.  Okay. Stop."  So precious!

"You shouldn't throw bark chips.  Because it is not safe.  Because it could knock your eye out.  Because people don't like it.  One time I saw a person doing...

..it.  Bark chips are very sharp. Bark chips are always very wet.  Don't throw bark chips."  

The final gem in her pile of papers was a book she wrote.  Simplistically beautiful, it almost made me cry to see on paper the confidence she has in this world, in herself, and in those around her.  It came through in her words and her brightly drawn illustrations.  At the tender age of seven she understands her value and worth as a Daughter of the King.  That security and confidence is shaping her view of the world.  I hope she never loses this bright outlook on life.

Here's her book, exactly as she wrote it.

"I AM (in hand-drawn bubble letters)

by Paige Stilp 

I am Paige Stilp.  A sister, a student and a helper.

I feel happy when Sophia Wong comes to softball games.  And when I get to be with Mrs. Young.  I see people all arond me who want to love me.  I see anamals all arond.

(Mrs. Young is her first grade teacher.  Thank you Mrs. Young for such an incredible First Grade experience for Paige.  She learned and grew so much under your leadership.)  

I hear voices off.  And pencils moveing on paper.  I know that I have friends and that I'm loved.

I am a anamal fan.  A friend.  A sister.  And a student."

What about you?  If you had to write a book called I AM, what would you write?  Would you focus on the things that you are not? The things you aspire to be?  Or who you really are.  A daughter.  A son.  A sister.  A brother.  A friend.  A student.  Lover of Jesus?

Do you know that you are loved?

Thank you Paigey for bringing us all back to what really matters.  I'm so proud of you.