parenting

As a parent there are lots of things we worry about.  Are my children growing strong in their testimonies, am I doing the right thing, am I exposing them to enough culture, am I spending enough fun time with them, are they growing emotionally spiritually physically, are they healthy are they happy the list is endless.  When we lived in Cali I would sometimes drive by my  kids school during recess, not purposley I just happen to drive by, and I would see my oldest walking around the playground aimlessly by herself.  At one of these times I stopped and watched, she never really interacted with her classmates she just looked lost? sad? lonely?  As I watched her face it broke my heart.  She is supposed to be running around smiling, laughing, chasing kids kicking balls, jumping rope.  I thought maybe I just caught her on a bad day, so a few days later I drove by again only to find her clinging and chatting to the only adult on the playground, when that yard duty had to leave there she was again with no giggling girls whispering secrets to her or dragging her off to the next thing.  I learned that she had very few friends. and was closer to the teachers than her school mates.
With the move here I was hoping it would be a fresh start for her.  I prayed daily for guidance of where we should live so that my children would be able to have friends and be themselves, a place that my little grownup could see the importance of being a kid.  I stressed, I fasted, and I prayed.
As I drive by their school now during the recess hour I look for my kids from afar, trying to get a glimpse of what their life on the playground is like.  My prayers have been answered, I see my children laughing, running, and chasing friends.  Friends plural!  Today I stopped my car just to watch as my little grownup was acting like a kid with a huge smile on her face as she played with all her girlfriends on the field.  It was just a happy moment.  My children are happy.  They are thriving and I am so grateful Heavenly Father saw to it that this prayer of mine could be answered.