Expectations...

As parents, we have had to adjust our expectations often.

This past weekend, we went to McCall.  It was the girls Christmas present.  The idea was that they could pick which "Winter activities" they wanted to do.  Wellllll....come to find out, it was about 50 degrees and beautifully sunny in McCall.  The tubing hill was closed, there was a hockey tournament at the skating rink, there wasn't much snow around for cross country skiing or snowshoeing.  You get the idea...

I had plans to make this a "trip to remember".  We don't travel much so when we do I want it to be super special.  What I forget, is that any time we do travel, it IS special because we rarely do it.  Our girls tend to be happy with anything they get to do.  I think they tend to have fewer expectations.  We did do a lot of fun things...ceramic painting, glass fusion, shopping, eating out every meal, and they got to try snowboarding.  Somehow, the trip exceeded their expectations.  Have Mark and I set the bar that low?!?  Ha!

On a different but related note, since Mark and I grew up playing sports, we always assumed that our kids would play and love sports as well.  Silly expectations.  Peyton tried various sports, but just doesn't have a competitive spirit.  Not sure how that happened as her parents are super competitive.  (Perhaps more now than when we were younger if my actual sports performance is any indication.)  The funny thing about Peyton (funny in a good, amazing way) is that she loves to perform.  In front of an audience.  Of real live people.  Honestly, it makes me a little dizzy and perhaps sweaty palmish just thinking about being in front of an audience.  Center of attention?  Um, no thanks.  I don't even like when I have to speak in a meeting.

Syd has no qualms about performing in front of large groups either.  Her piano teacher once told me "Sydney never thinks she can't do something.  You could ask her if she could walk on water and she'd probably say yes".  Recently, she led the singing in front of the entire Church congregation (about 1,600 people) and never batted an eye.  And, she loves piano recitals.  LOVES them!

There are so many parenting situations where our kids don't meet our expectations.  But often, they do far exceed them.  It's then that we need to pause and realize how blessed we are with these two.