Camo and Lace

The Tomboy. The Priss. They're both girls, right? Though different, both are sweet-natured.

My girls seem to feel comfortable in both arenas. They both like to play with boys...and will hit them back accordingly. They both like to paint their nails and curl their hair...and will primp and twirl accordingly. They both are drawn, like magnets, to a pile of dirt or a puddle of mud. Regardless of the pink dress they may be wearing.

There is no girlie-girl in this house. There is no tomboy. They both are just free-spirits that act and react to their surroundings in whatever way their current emotions sway them. Sometimes they both are tree-climbing, dirt-bathing, bruiser girls. Sometimes they are princesses playing house with with dolls and pretend food. Sometimes one is the brute and the other one has decided to be the oh-so-delicate one who can't believe that her sister just threw a ball at her face. The nerve.

Well, This morning was a moment of polar opposites. At least for a brief second.

We were outside playing. Charis was walking around looking for flowers to pick for me. She was determined to make something pretty. She delicately hung onto her four itsy, bitsty buttercups. "Mommy, these are my flowers. They're for you."

Aw. Thank you, honey.

Selah, who was protectively gripping a bouquet of dirty sticks close to her chest, looked at me and said "These are my guns."

I think it took about 0.2 seconds for her to realize what she said. She quickly tried to cover it and said "I mean these are my flowers." She grinned this sheepish little grin.

I laughed and tried to get her to say what she had really said first. She denied it until I winked and said, "Did you say your guns?" She finally conceded and fessed up, laughing with me. I didn't even realize she knew what guns were!

Oh, how I love my girls. I love watching them grow up into little ladies. Waxing and waning between wanting to be a tough girl and wanting to be a princess with all the frills.

But you know what I love, amidst all the piles of bugs, flowers, body glitter, and rocks that they collect? I love that they don't accept having to be one or the other. I love that they have determined that they can easily be both. Because when all is said and done... A girl is a girl is a girl. Regardless of whether she's wearing camo or lace. And somehow I'm sure we'll be seeing them wearing both over the coming years.

*the clinking of glasses* Here's to girls donned in florescent pink...deer hunting with Daddy. *Cheers*