Hess Happenings: Caroline is Six!

Six! She is six years old. In truth, I didn’t know kids like Caroline actually existed. I think all of us have some gift that comes naturally to us. Carrie’s gift happens to be kindness. She isn’t perfect of course, but she is truly a sweet, tenderhearted, kind girl who wants the best for everyone. She’s the kind of person to send a card or letter just because she was thinking of them.

I mean, she even LOOKS angelic.

It has been a hard year for a girl so young and not many could have come through it with her joy and optimism.

She started snoring way back in January. We ignored it for awhile but then she would be tired and grumpy during the day and started taking naps again when she had recently stopped. It took several doctor appointments, including a sleep study, which revealed she has moderate sleep apnea and she stopped breathing on average eight times per hour.

So sweet even covered in wires.

She ended up needing her tonsils and adenoids removed. Unfortunately the soonest they could do the surgery was the week of her birthday. In true Caroline fashion, she accepted the news without complaint. It meant she couldn’t eat her favorite food on her actual birthday or do much activity. So many told us of the horrible recovery. She did have a couple of bad nights and days, but through it all she was still her sweet, kind self.

I think if you asked Caroline about her year, she would say it was great. Because Heidi came home. Heidi, who has required more physical and emotional energy from me than any other child in our home right now. And none of that matters because, she’s ours. And you do whatever you have to do for the ones you love, even if it means sacrificing your own desires. Maybe especially if it means sacrificing your own desires.

As an already kind, compassionate child, having two sisters (one her BFF and the second in a close race to being co-BFFs) has opened her eyes to the needs in the wider world. The other day she was taking a leisurely bath with Heidi. Since Heidi can’t talk, she had my undivided attention to share all the thoughts and questions that have been building in her mind. Things that never entered my mind at sixteen, let alone six. She asked why babies are abandoned? And why can’t we go back to China? What happens to a kid when they get too old and aren’t adopted? Why does Africa make you stay there so long to adopt? What other countries are in Asia? Could we go somewhere else to adopt? Because it hurts me that there are little boys and girls who won’t ever get a mom or a dad or big sisters. Guys, my six year old daughter’s heart is so big that it hurts for other children who don’t have what we have.

No, this isn’t an adoption announcement. This is me, hoping some of my friends will be moved by Caroline’s big thoughts and big hearts. I actually was starting to cry during our conversation and texted Trent that she’s breaking my heart.

But sometimes we need our hearts broken to reveal what is good and true bleeding out of it.

She’s the kid who loves (instead of feels slighted) that her birthday is close to Christmas. Because she is almost “birthday twins” with Jesus. What more could she want?

She was happy to be reading well enough to get to read the story of Jesus’ birth at our Hess Christmas this year.

When asked things she loves, Caroline said:

- Heidi

- animals

- purple

- rice, chicken, chili, Chinese food and tacos (fav foods)

- Christmas

- my big sisters

- Ruthie

- getting my ears pierced

- wearing overalls

- church (favorite place to go)

When asked things she doesn’t like, Caroline said:

- I can’t think of anything.

She couldn’t get her ears pierced before her surgery so we had to do it after her birthday (plus she wanted to eat the mall’s Chinese food so we had to wait for her throat to heal).

She started off brave and excited.

Then got nervous.

Then freaked out and jerked away. Anne and I switched roles at this point so I could hold Carrie and get her calmed down enough to let them pierce her ears.

Once she was calm she got her mind straight and sat perfectly still. She said afterward it didn’t even hurt but the waiting was scary. Isn’t that just like life? The anticipation of the unknown is terrifying, but the actual event isn’t usually as bad as what we build it up to be in our mind.

She is looking forward to a great rest of the year of Kindergarten. She’s a wonderful student and (usually) hard worker. She likes to be homeschooled. Learning about animals and reading books is her favorite.