This girl can melt my heart and drive me crazy all in the span of five minutes. I love her to pieces and my soul’s desire is for her heart to KNOW she is beautiful in every way and that she is loved fiercely by the God of the universe.

She is all rough and tumble and can keep up with the wrestling ways of her older brother in a heartbeat. I love this side of her. This adventurous, “go get em”, unrestrained, curious side of her.

And, yet… she is soft and feminine as well. She tells us often that she loves us. Tenderly taking care of her little brother. Seeing to the needs of her friends and even myself at times. Her heart wells up with emotion, sometimes resulting in three year old dramatic tantrums. Sometimes the outpouring of her sweet belly laughter from a mouthful of teeth! But, always. Always living passionately.

Like all women, she is complex. And even I, as her mama, struggle with finding the right words to accurately describe my girl.

I love everything about her {even when she drives me crazy} and I know, like I know with all of my children, that God has a unique plan for her life. I know that she was placed as the middle child and the only girl in our family for a reason.

Like many little girls, most recently she has become highly interested in all things princess. Her wiggly self can barely sit through a whole Disney princess movie, but she can tell you each of her favorite princesses by heart. Aurora. Ariel. Cinderella. I will pull the dress up tub out and she will fly through changes and changes of clothes… all pink. All flowing, puffy, tutu like skirts and dresses with sparkles and tulle and sequins. She will flit around. Dancing. Twirling. Whirling. Singing. And, occasionally, I will watch her look down at herself all dressed up and she will smile proudly at herself. She will run to the mirror and do a spin and giggle at herself. She will sprint to her Daddy for his approval and blush when he tells her that she is beautiful. Yes. This girl is all about princesses right now.

I love the old school Disney movies of the Prince rescuing the Princess, the Prince doing battle against some sort of enemy, and the two lovers living happily ever after. In my mind, you just can’t beat these classic timeless tales.

And I’m sure, like you, have noticed the changing of tides when it comes to some of these Disney “Princess” films most recently… movies like: Tangled and Brave, where the Princess is depicted as a more stronger, more able girl, who doesn’t necessarily “need” rescuing anymore.

“A woman is a warrior too. But she is meant to be a warrior in a uniquely feminine way. Sometime before the sorrows of life did their best to kill it in us, most young women wanted to be a part of something grand, something important.”
~Stasi Eldredge, Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul

I have to say that I am on board with the messages of BOTH of these types of movies. The classic AND the more “feministic” types of films. I long for my daughter to grow in her own femininity in this way. To fall in love and to be a part of a special adventure. To know what it is to be pursued by Jesus’ love and to build upon the passion that He has for her to do great things for the world. All of this. Is what we desire to instill in our daughter’s heart.

And, this is why we refer to her as… our warrior Princess.

{Her new favorite dress that Santa brought her… And, excuse the Christmas tree needles I hadn’t gotten to vacuming up yet!}

Not too long ago, we were doing a little Christmas shopping at the Disney store and THIS video popped up on the big screen in the store. I noticed my kids watching it and it began to catch my attention as well. LOVE, love, LOVE the message of this to little girls.