What I Want For My Children...

Soooo. With Olivia just having turned 10 a few weeks ago, and Danielle beginning 1st grade recently, I've been feeling a bit sentimental. I miss the days of my girls being babies. I regret the fact that I was so busy...working, doing, seeing, whatever. I didn't pay the attention to them that I should have. I made some irresponsible decisions in my life and I can never take them back. Life is so full of distractions. What we don't realize, until it's too late, is that you never get these days back. Ever.
I'm thankful though, that I've realized this sooner rather than later. Sometimes I wish I could turn back the time, but since I know I can't...I just want to make the most of the time I have with them now. I want to be fully present and fully aware of my children. Their lives, their fears, their hopes, their tears, their joy, their everything.
That being said...what I hope for my children is this:

I want them to be honest. With others and most importantly, with themselves and with God.
I want them to dream and dream big.
I want them to have a solid foundation set in God's love.
I want God's discipline to be gentle on them.
I want them to never be afraid to try new things.
I want them to look in the mirror and to like what they see.
I want them to love, and love deeply.
I want them to care, and care deeply.
I want them to see this world through the eyes of Jesus.
I want them to long to help those who are in need.
I want them to set themselves apart and not conform to this world's standards.
I want them to know unconditional love.
I want them to see things as they truly are, and not as they would want them to be.
I want them to be able to give unconditional love.
I want them to never lose hope.
I want them to always have faith.
I want them to be generous.
I want them to work hard.
I want them to play harder.
I want them to be strong.
I want them to want what they've got.
I want them to know that God's love and faithfulness is unfailing and never ending.
I want them to know that they are the ones stopping them from achieving anything they want.
I want them to know...that at the end of the day, their Daddy and I love them more than life, would give our lives for them, and will always be here for them no matter what. I want them to know they can always come home.