Happy 7 Years!

Our beautiful, 7 year old L

Yesterday was a big celebration day. L turned 7 and she had big birthday plans which included a special breakfast with dad, a lunch date with mom, new clothes and chocolate, and a strawberry cake with homemade ice cream (thanks Mathes family!). This girl likes to celebrate and she was in her element all day long! She happy- skipped everyone and wanted to hold hands and hug and sing.

When L was six she confessed Christ as her Lord. Shortly after M was born she attended VBS with a neighbor girl and it was there that she decided that she trusted Jesus to save her and she wanted to live a life pleasing to Him. In the past year we've seen the fruit of that decision as she has learned God's word and tried to apply it in her own life. She knows how important it is to use sweetness of speech to increase her persuasiveness and that she should repay evil with good. These are important in her life with four brothers.

L also lost her first two teeth this past year- thanks in part to a bicycle crash and a hit to the mouth with a seatbeat. She's tough. And so far, the new teeth haven't suffered injury.

L became an avid reader this year and progressed from easy picture books to chapter books like Little House on the Prairie. She enjoyed reading aloud to T and M. She is also an artist who enjoys putting her imaginative thoughts down on paper with colored pencils. She likes to write letters to family and friends and takes special delight in blessing others. In school, she often bested her brothers by completing her work first and working ahead. In fact, she worked through more books than I expected during the year! She definitely has a strong determination;  it is important to her to finish everything on her chart and so she does. (I think this is also because she is strongly motivated by chocolate and she earns "bucks" toward a chocolate bar when her tasks are completed!)

L is a great big sister. In fact, she is good with all little ones. She is attentive to smaller children and comes up with games and activities for them. She watches over them with a protective air. L has been known to change diapers, take M to the potty, and help little ones get dressed. When friends come to visit she asks to hold their babies. We love this spirit of helpfulness in her and that she views babies as a blessing.

At one point yesterday, L was telling The Lawyer all the things that make her happy. Her listed started:
1) Chocolate
2) You and Mom
3) M and T when they say funny things . . .

So, even though we come in after chocolate we still love this girl to (chocolate) pieces.

the requested strawberry cake

she loves purple

an apron for the little cook- a great gift from the Mathes family