Happy, happy birthday, Selah!!

Sweet Selah... 13!! A teenager!!

My words feel so far short of my emotions this year, in seeing you turn 13.

We're so very proud of you.

Yes, you're still very distractible and would much rather bake or have an adventure than do schoolwork or chores ... but honestly, you're growing up with so much grace and beauty that we're a bit blown away by you.

This past year has seen many difficult adjustments -- we've watched you respond with gratitude and optimism. So many times I've told you about one more thing that I thought would disappoint you, only to be blessed by your response: "That's okay, Mom. At least we can Zoom ..." or something similar. 

When I asked you recently how you were processing other hard issues, you responded, "It's hard ... but I know that God knows what He's doing."

I have to tell you, that grace, that gratitude, that faith in the midst of trying times ... each of these attributes are gifts from God, and you're wearing those gifts with such beauty and maturity that all I can do is praise Him for His kindness and goodness, expressed through you, sweet daughter. 

We love you, Sweet Selah, and we're so very thankful that God made you and gave you to us. We pray this next year you'll know even more richly and fully the wonders of God's love and grace in your life.

Happy, happy birthday, dear one!!! 

Happy happy birthday, Butterfly!!

Selah, you're 12.

We tease you that you've been practicing being a teenager since you were eight... but really, you're a pretty sweet young lady!

You bring so much joy and laughter to our house. You're always up for adventure. You excel at friendship and baking and getting your schoolwork done.

I love that your favorite types of shoes have wheels, and you take great joy in all that sparkles and lights up our world.

I've seen you maturing and in doing so, you're sweet and thoughtful of those who are younger than you. You seek out wise counsel and have found good role models.

We pray that this year brings you a depth of joy and peace and love and kindness that exceeds all that has come before. We love you, Butterfly, and we thank God that He saw fit to put you in our lives!!

Selah Is Eleven!!

Sweet Selah, you're eleven. As I start to type this blog post, I glance at the clock, and eleven years ago this moment you were three minutes away from making your debut. You still hold the record for perfect birth stories, Girlie!

This year has been really good on you, Selah. You're definitely our extrovert, our entertainer, our goof ball. But this year has seen a sweet tenderness growing and maturing in you. We've loved watching you step up even more as a big sister to the little ones, your nurturing heart has been a blessing to us.

You're been faithful in your schoolwork and you're quick to help out others. It's also been fun to see you get involved with American Heritage Girls -- this seems to be a really good fit for you, and a great opportunity for you to bond with your older sister, and get some extra time with your friends. You really never seem to get enough time with them, and you have such sweet friends!

We love you, Selah, and we hope this next year holds unexpected blessings for you. We hope that God reveals His great love for you, and that you know His mercies every morning. We are so very thankful that you are in our family -- we can't imagine life without you!!

Happy, happy birthday, Butterfly!

Happy Birthday, Selah!

A full decade has passed since the evening you were born. I know your dad has fond memories of "the perfect birth." I do, too. Of course, I usually just tell the story of how you yelled so loud that the midwife came running -- sure that I had dropped you -- though your meal had just temporarily been interrupted.

I guess being loud is in your genes.

But with your loud, there's adventure. There's love for life. There's tenderness with younger siblings. There's a love for creation and beauty and fashion. Maybe not so much of a love for order, but there's a love for baking and cooking and anything else that might distract you from math (though you are quite good at that, too).

And we love you, sweet Selah. We are so thankful that God created you -- so beautifully -- and fit you so perfectly into our family. He knew what He was doing when He made you, as He always does. And we can see glimpses of that handiwork. We're so very thankful for His love expressed to us, in gifting you to us!

And we pray that your year will be blessed and your youthful enthusiasm for life will flourish. We pray that as you grow in wisdom and stature, you'll also grow in love and grace and mercy and righteousness. And we pray, as always, that you will know ever more fully the deep, abiding love that God has for you!

Happy, happy birthday, Sweet Girl!

Happy Birthday, Selah!!

You made it! You're nine years old!! Isn't that AMAZING?!?

Selah, you are such a beautiful, delightful daughter. You're full of life and love and fun and creativity. You're kind and thoughtful, bouncing and adventurous. You are an amazing big sister. You're a great little sister. You are a good friend. You are a joy.

And we're so thankful to have you as our daughter. 

We hope you have a beautiful year. We hope you grow in knowing how very, very loved you are. Even when your mom is grouchy. Even when your dad is distracted. YOU are fully, wholly, wonderfully loved. We love you, but more perfectly, God loves you. And we hope that with each passing day, you become more knowledgeable, more secure, more rested in knowing the height and width and breadth and depth of that love.

And we hope and pray that in that knowledge, you continue to blossom and grow. Because you are a precious, precious gift. And we are so very thankful for you.

Happy, happy birthday, Sweet Selah! We love you!!

Selah in the Littlest Nutcracker

Selah's Dance Recital

Happy Sixth Birthday, Selah!!

I've told you this already, sweet Selah, but FIVE YEARS OLD was a really good age for you. We've seen you grow much in the past year. You've become more self-controlled and more loving and kind, looking out for others this year. You've become more confident and secure, and we've really enjoyed watching you dote over the newest baby in the house.

You've grown in your talents, and you and Eliana have really bonded in your creativity, especially as the two of you have worked together to make games, decorations, and other projects. It's been sweet to see how the two of you have really started to enjoy each other's company this year, and part of this has been due to you each growing in maturity in the way you relate to others. We thank God for this answered prayer, and we eagerly look forward to seeing what other plans God has for you.

This past year you have started school, started ballet, started riding a two-wheeled bike...

and each thing you do you do with joy and enthusiasm and pizzazz!!

But you still take the time to stop. And cuddle. And love.

You're a sweet delight, Selah. A precious gift from God. And we thank God for you.

Rest in Him, Sweet Girl. Trust Him and His goodness. Grow in His love. He'll take good care of you.

Happy, happy birthday, Baby Girl. May this next year bring more of God's goodness in your life.

Selah in the Little Nutcracker

Family Photos from 2012

Somehow we neglected to share our family photos here last year... our apologies! But better late, than never, right? :)

Video: Spray Park Fun

We took the kids and Auntie Danelle (who is visiting from Minnesota) to a local park this past Saturday and discovered that the spray park is up and running. Everyone had a blast!

Happy Fourth Birthday, Selah!!

*This entry is two days late. So sorry, Aunt Danelle. Life just gets in the way sometimes!!*

It's been a few months since we've had a four-year-old in the house... but I'm delighted to announce that as of Wednesday, our Selah is filling that bill.

Selah, I can't begin to tell you how much you have added to our family in the way of joy and entertainment. We love your bouncy personality and the intensity with which you love us and others. You have a way of making people feel so special and loved -- you're simply delightful.

We love watching you grow and seeing the world through your eyes, and we cannot thank God enough for seeing fit to give you to us. You get so excited about the little things in life, and you are so sweet to express your gratitude. You also have quite a lot of opinions for a freshly turned four-year-old. But you share your opinions with such clarity and confidence that we can't help but be entertained by them.

I love how fearless you are when you're around me and how shy and bashful you get once Daddy is around to hold you and protect you. It cracks me up. (And I KNOW that Daddy loves being able to hold you and protect you. Please remember, as you get older, that by His grace, God gave you a good Daddy who is looking out for you and is trustworthy in his counsel.)

I'm so thankful for the grace that God has shown our family, and I pray that you will know that grace more and more, our dear Selah. I pray that you'll know how very good and loving our God is, and how He's given EVERYTHING to make a way for you to be right with Him. I pray that you'll find your rest in Him and you'll delight in His goodness more and more each day. And I pray that He'll use your delightful personality to show Himself to those who don't know His love.

We love you, sweet Selah. Happy, happy birthday!!

Video: A Pink Wall and a Bed

See the inside of our new house as our kids saw it for the very first time earlier this month.

Video: Selah Does the Dishes

Happy Birthday, Selah!

It's your birthday, sweet girl... three years ago today we first held you in our arms. Your daddy says that you were the model child since Day 1, arriving at a very reasonable 8:30 PM and allowing us all to be in bed before midnight. We all know that three years later, he's still wrapped around your little fingers!

You're a delight. A joy. An amazing child with such a cheerful and helpful disposition. Your smile brings a smile to every face around while your laugh is just positively infatuating. Your feet are never still but your hugs and love are generously given. Like I already said, you are a delight!

We pray that your passion for life will grow and deepen into a never-swaying passion for the Creator of life! He loves you so much and delighted in creating you... and we are ever so thankful that He delighted in giving you to us, too! We pray for wisdom in raising you and we trust in His goodness for directing your path. We love you so much, and we are so thankful that we have such a good God -- we entrust you to Him!

Happy, happy birthday, sweet Selah!

(Guest appearance by Swiper)

Video: Books of the Bible

Video: Selah Sings Her ABCs

For Auntie Nora



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Farm Day

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Video: Selah Names Her Siblings

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Museum Day Zoo Photos