14 things I love about my birthday girl

I cannot let this day pass me by without writing about the things I love most about this girl right here:

Because my BABY is FOURTEEN!

We had her annual IEP the other day. Dave and I sat in a classroom before school started in a socially distanced circle with ALL her teachers and helpers. This is enough to make me cry every time. So much love for those people who love your daughter and help her through thick and thin no matter if she gives them a rough time or now. But this time around I didn’t cry. I just got so filled up with gratitude that this girl is mine. Each teacher gave their thoughts about how Lucy is doing and each had the kindest, sweetest things to say.

Lucy is going through some tough stuff, that’s for sure, but she does it in a pretty beautiful way. And she has a great team to help her…not only at school, but GOSH, she’s lucky to have siblings who adore her so much too.

Ok, so here we go…some of the top 14 things I love about the birthday girl.

1. She is ALWAYS up for a chess game. Or cards. Or Rummikub. Or any game for that matter. And she has the best trash talk to go with the game.
2. She has a smile that can light up the whole room.
3. She puts up with having a shot in her belly every single day because of her medication, and she does it all with a smile.
4. She is stubborn. Which may sound like a bad thing, and I’ll be honest, sometimes it is enough to drive me nutty, but it’s actually a beautiful thing too because man alive, that girl is going to go places. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
5. She is getting so good at reading Braille, and recognizing her own “superpowers” even though she’s losing her vision so rapidly.
6. She is such a beautiful writer. She can come up with such wonderful things to express on paper.
7. She always lets people know where they stand. There is no beating around the bush with Lucy.
8. She has such a tender heart. She always asks if we are ok, if we sigh, or if we’re a little quiet…she’s always trying to make sure everyone is ok.
9. She’s the best note-writer. Oh gosh I could frame all of the notes she’s ever written and have a pretty beautiful gallery.
10. She will let me read with her, and asks to snuggle together as we read. And there is not much better for a mother than that, especially with her last child.
11. Lucy is organized. She has a place for everything and that makes her dad pretty happy!
12. If you give Lucy a job, you can bet she will DO it. She’s dependable and knows how to get things done.
13. When we read together, Lucy asks me to turn down the pages that make her think of the beauty of life, and mostly the things that make her think about Jesus.
14. She adores “her” Jesus and anything that symbolizes Him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR LUCY! Love you forever!

xoxo