Happy 9th Birthday, Lillie!

Lillie Boever. How in the world are you nine years old? You really are the sweetest girl I know. I am not just saying that because I am your mother. You hand out compliments like it is your job and are always the first to tell anyone thank you, how nice they look, or to just compliment them on some random item. You are a kind soul and very aware of others feelings. You LOVE life. Did I say that loud enough? You delight in things most would never find joy in. You get excited about everything and meeting everyone. I think others have a hard time understanding you as you are still so childlike in how you view the world. Your mind is so simple yet so complex. What I love most about you is your appreciation for everything even speech class. Every Thursday morning as we drive over together, you tell me how excited you are to see Mrs. English and ask me which house I love the most while we are driving. You come running out each week beaming, waving your hand wildly as if we hadn't just seen each other 25 short minutes ago. You love Damaris like we just brought her home yesterday. You still write us a note every night and tell me each night how nice my bed looks when it is made. You thank me for dinner every night and are very specific about what you liked most about dinner. I wish I was more like you in that appearances mean nothing to you. You would go to speech class in your underwear if I let you. Not as a act of disobedience, but you simply aren't caught up in how you look. You tell me often, after the fact, that you prayed for certain things throughout the day and they are usually very simply things like hoping to go to the park or to have ice cream after dinner. God must smile at you often. You do very well in school and are so patient with me. Like most, I require Math done to perfection and you will patiently redo problems over and over as I ask. I marvel each day that you haven't tired yet of doing your school work. You are always the first to get started and the first one done. I can't keep up with you in the mornings. You make your bed the minute you step out of it. You are hands down our best eater. You eat anything and will try anything.

A while back, we started giving the kids one present in the morning.  After following a long string, the present would be at the end.  I haven't done that for a few years, but last night Lillie requested it.  How could I resist giving her this pup early in the morning?  She was thrilled.

Children really are so very simple.  Lillie loves animals from the depths of her core.  I wish I did as I would love so much to get her a dog.  She really would die from happiness.  I keep telling the girls that if we ever move to a farm, they can get animals.  We have no plans to ever move to a farm, but it is certainly keeping their hopes alive.  For now, I enjoy finding different stuffed animals that they treasure.  I found "Slush" at Hobby Lobby and knew instantly Lillie would treat him as if he were real.  I hit the jackpot.  She carried him around all day long.  She told me many times how much the note taped to the box meant to her.

I get the fine honor of taking the birthday celebrant out to breakfast the morning of the big day.  I look forward to it as much as they do.  She chose Village Inn this year after Dominic's rave reviews.  I always let them order whatever they want.  It really is my treat to just be with them in the early morning of their big day.

I say it again.  Children are so simple.  She wanted me to do the word search with her.  She would look up and thank me for being with her and compliment me on doing so well on the word search.

She wanted me to take a picture of her devouring the cake with her hand.

John gave her a birthstone necklace.  We try to give them a little piece of jewelry on their birthdays from John.  It is never anything big and usually something I find on clearance at Target or a thrift store, but it is amazing how they treasure the little gifts from John.  He always says, "For my princess."
 It is never good for me to look through old pictures. Way too painful. I say it again, "Thank you again that I was home to watch them grow." What if I would have missed it all and it is all going so fast. Happy Birthday, Lillie. We love you so much.