I remember wondering if this child would make it to adulthood. Olivia is the one who has given us the most adventure in parenting. And the most laughter, too. When we only had three little one running around, we called them "mild" (Sarah), "medium" (Benjamin), and "hot" (Olivia).
We've had many clashes of our wills and parenting fails (like the infamous "I won't eat black beans" fiasco), but once she gave her life to Jesus, the sanctification process became so very obvious and steady in her life. Earlier this week, Olivia began feeling pretty rotten. She immediately began the dreaded, but regular, regimen of gargling with apple cider vinegar. She made wise choices about what to put in her body, how much to rest, and how much to push her mind and body.
I saw so much maturity in the way she handled her sickness, even as she cried and felt rotten. I don't know if having her two older siblings leave home has been the impetus for Olivia blossoming, or if fifteen has just been the magic age for her. The ladies in our classes at the gym love her and can't believe she is only fifteen. Olivia is picking up the mantle of womanhood, and it is such a joy to watch some of the seeds of tough parenting years begin to yield sweet fruit.
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