Happy Birthday, Talia!

You're four years old today, our Tally Shark!!

I know this year is different. It's sweet, but it's hard, and I'm sure that someday we'll look back and talk about this time for all its distinctness.

But no matter how we look back on this time,

I want you to know that today, you are a sweet gift. Every day, you are a sweet gift. And we are so very thankful for you.

Your personality has really blossomed this year. You have this funny way of being oh-so-quiet (while smiling with every ounce of you) and then launching into full stories out of the blue.

You remind me regularly not only what your favorite color is, but what everyone else's is, as well.

You are already planning your wedding to your sweet friend, Micah.

You bring me oh so many flowers -- usually dandelions -- and you smile so sweetly when I tell you that you are my favorite flower.

You love to learn and to draw and to play the piano, and you love talking about your good friends and your aunts and your teacher.

You're a delight, our TallyGirl, and we love you bunches.

Happy, happy birthday, our Sweet Girl!

Happy Birthday, Talia!

You're two years old, Sweet Tally Girl.

Time has flashed by since you were our tiny baby girl, through infancy into toddlerhood to this point where your creative spunk and independent personality seem to be more and more developed each day.

You crack all of us up regularly, and you have each and every one of your siblings wrapped around your adorable fingers. I love seeing how your big brothers melt with your attention. And your big sisters have such delight in teaching you new things about your world.

You're a talker. You already use a few sentences comfortably. You're a singer, even making up your own tunes and words. And you have a few loyal obsessions -- doggie-oggie-oggies and GongGong (our Roombas) being your very favorite conversation pieces.

When we saw the meaning of your name, "Dew of Heaven," while you were still waiting to be born, I knew deep in my heart that Talia was the right name for you. As a family, we were in the thick of difficult times and the meaning with such a beautiful name was fitting in numerous ways. We had no clue at the time, though, when we named you, how many times Heaven would be almost touchable over the next couple of years.

Even in the midst of a season of countless losses, you have been a comfort, a joy, a delight to all of us. God created you beautifully, sweet child, and we are very, very thankful that you are ours. We love you so much and we pray that as you grow, you will know the deep, deep love of Jesus, and that you will delight in Him as He delights in you!

Happy, happy birthday, Sweet Girl!

Happy Birthday, Talia!

Our sweet, beautiful baby girl...

You're one, now. I'm not sure my heart can handle that. But I guess as parents, we don't get to decide these things.

You have been such a beautiful blessing this past year. There have been a lot of losses and heartaches, but you have been a joy ... our "dew of heaven."

I commonly describe you as our very first laid-back girl. You're an easy baby ... you sleep well, eat well and love life. You dance and sing and talk and laugh. Even when you get a birthday tooth and you want to be held all the time, you still are delightful and will cheer up when your siblings sing.

We love you and we're so thankful that God gave you to all of us ... you are a sweet and perfect gift!!

Happy, happy birthday, sweet Talia!

It's Talia!

Announcing Talia Joy

After throwing us a number of curve balls, yesterday our sweet "Spaghetti" finally graced us with her presence.

"Talia" is Hebrew for "dew of Heaven." We are pronouncing it like the name "Natalia" but without the "Nuh-" at the beginning!

We thank God for His abundant kindness and protection!

Talia Joy

8 lb 9 oz

21" length

8:48 p.m.