As she marched to the car I could read the excitement in her eyes. I had no idea what was causing the extra bounce in her step but I anxiously waited as she tossed her backpack inside and slid into her seat.

She was bursting and I could not wait to hear why!

It was obviously a big deal, maybe a mended friendship, a good grade or an earned privilege…. I knew it was going to be good!

Seconds after placing her belt across her lap, she opened her eyeglass case and pulled out a crumbled, gallon-sized plastic bag full of loose grass and….ladybugs.

That’s right. Lady bugs. A gallon sized plastic bag inside of her eyeglass case.

She was beyond excited. She was captivated by their journey around the crumpled walls of their new home.

She and her sisters giggled and passed the bag around from seat to seat until they had a chance to experience the phenomenon up close and personal.

Ladybugs.

Alena, the new pets’ owner, watched carefully as the bag bounced around the minivan until it made its way safely back to her lap.

Enthralled. Curious. Proud.

Those were her emotions.

Me?

Confused and a tad bit grossed out by the entire ordeal.

I decided to let it happen. I nodded a few times and mumbled a few “ooo’s,” but mostly I kept my eyes on the road and pretended my van was not full of tiny critters.

Have you ever decided to let it happen?

To let your girls follow a passion, a journey or a course of action that made absolutely no sense to you?

I did.

This peculiar fire inside of her did not die out as quickly as I assumed it would.

So it lived. They lived. And I decided to join them.

Within moments of walking into the front door of our home, I found myself on Google trying to figure out “how to take care of ladybugs.”

I watched her. I let her follow the questions of her heart right to their answers.

Together we hovered over my kitchen counter and watched them live. We fed them, tapped on their spotted shells and removed their lost loved ones… Turns out ladybugs don’t make great pets but we tried. Together.

So moms, here’s what I learned- when something sparks her attention and draws out a passion that you just don’t get….let it happen.

Our daughter’s need to know we are with them. They need to know that the things that ignite the inner parts of their heart are worth exploring.

She needs to know that what matters to her, matters to you.

One day it will be a mended friendship, an earned privilege or dare I say…a boy. And I pray she knows that I will live there with her, as well. But for now, she’s chasing ladybugs with a passion that I still don’t get.

My conviction…with passion and dedication, we are doing it together!