To My Almost Nine Year Old

Sweet AK. When did you grow from this sweet, chubby-cheeked toddler...

...into this beautiful young lady???

You are as full of life and energy and curiosity now as you were then. You have a hypothesis for every science experiment we do and you always offer an explanation for why you believe things work the way they do. No matter what else is happening, if you or Owen spot a bug, you will drop everything to investigate.

Your logic is unique. The other day you had a headache because you slept with your head hanging off your bed. When I asked why on earth you did that, you said it was because your stuffed horse, stuffed worm, and pillows and blankets were taking up the whole bed.

You're still the most naturally helpful kid I know. You see a need and you try to help meet it, no questions asked. You love to jump on the trampoline with Owen and to giggle with Claire late at night. You're impulsive, you can't go to sleep without hugging everyone in the house, and you think potty jokes are hilarious.

You love horses and would spend every day at the ranch if you could. You can do double back handsprings and are working on your tuck jump. Every day when Dad gets home from work, you jump on him, climb over his head, and hang upside down off of him. 

 

You have a tender heart and desperately don't want to be a bother to anyone. (Hint: You're not!!!) When you ask me for anything, you apologize as if you hate to even ask. Today at Cracker Barrel you wouldn't even let us remind the waitress to bring the blueberry syrup you had asked for. You just made yourself content with what you already had. You are so careful not to hurt your friends' feelings and you try to be a peacemaker. 

You play piano every day, love origami and legos, and have knitted almost an entire shawl. You spent hours (with Dobby's help) sewing a homemade tent for your room. Every time I walk into a room it seems you have built something out of cardboard or popsicle sticks or whatever raw material you can find. You are so very creative, but you are at the same time hesitant to share your creations because you think they aren't "good enough." Don't be afraid, AK! You are gifted for a reason - to share God's beauty with the world.

You still make friends everywhere we go, your laugh is still 100% contagious, and this smile right here still lights up every single room.

AK, you are one of a kind and such a gift. I just sit in awe of how God has wired you. Every time I tell you I love you, you come back with "I love you more." But you can't. There's no way. I want to put you in my pocket and keep you there forever, but thankfully that's not how things work. I love seeing you becoming who you are.

   

Happy birthday, my sweet almost nine year old!!!