Brooklyn's Seventh Birthday

Help! Despite a New Year and new beginnings, I'm positively drowning in photos. December was so delightfully eventful that catching up is hopeless, particularly since all I really want to do is to nap until February.

Even so, some milestones ought not be completely forgotten. About a week before Christmas, Brooklyn celebrated her 7th birthday.

For her special day, we made cupcakes to share with her class at school. As luck would have it, her birthday fell on a "dress-down" day so she was able to wear a favorite dress instead of her school uniform.

This cute little boy, Alan, is the son of her Spanish teacher, Mr. O. Garcia.

While Brooklyn still wanted a princess cupcake theme, her favorite color has recently changed from pink to blue. Regrettably, our homemade frosting turned out more akin to seafoam green. As far as I could tell, nobody complained.

On her actual birthday, Brooklyn opened a great package from Grandma Susie and Grandpa Charles that included an adorable outfit, twisty pencils, and a sparkling puppy purse. Thank you! She waited a few days to open a big box from NomiAnn and Papa Kay until they arrived from Nebraska, having made the long drive to spend the holiday with our family. So what was the big surprise?

An acoustic guitar! After an hour of lessons, Brooklyn was delighted to perform London Bridge, Skip to my Lou, and any other song requiring only a C and G7 chord.

Mom and Dad's present was a bit more modest, yet appreciated nonetheless.

A castle one minute, a unicorn the next! The miracle of Happy Nappers.

As the birthday girl, Brooklyn chose to watch a Dolphin's Tale at the dollar theater, followed by macaroni and cheese at Applebees. Add in special popcorn kid combos, and it was the day of her dreams!

It's hard to know what to write about our beautiful Brooklyn. I ran across these recent photos from Pioneer Park and thought, who is this long-legged beauty?


Despite my best efforts to ignore the obvious, she is growing up so quickly! Although it is still a year away, she already talks with such anticipation and joy about her baptism. Ever the planner, she delights in mapping out our days with precision: writing notes, creating schedules, and making lists. She is artistic, creative, imaginative, and innovative. And yes, she is ever-so intelligent. At times, I confess that these streaks of brilliance intimidate me. Not only do I worry that I won't be able to keep up with that sharp mind, but I pray she can find personal value and fulfillment in more than being just smart. While good test scores may bring accolade in school, it's important to learn that they do not define one's self-worth. While we are proud of her efforts, we do not expect perfection nor will we love her any less for bringing home less than a hundred. More and more, I'm trying to find opportunities to praise Brooklyn for who she is, not just for all the great things she does.

For beneath the gorgeous locks and bright eyes, there lies a very tender heart with a deep desire to love and to please. A protective little mother, she takes great care of her little brother and tries very hard to get along with her spunky sister. Sensitive to the spirit, Brooklyn is motivated by a deep sense of justice and has a great desire to choose the right.

Thanks, sweet Brooklyn, for sharing your enthusiasm and love. You've taught us so much over the past seven years--I look forward to sharing seven times more.