Dear Maddie,
You are nine years old today. This seems strange to say since for the last
long while I have been saying that you are almost nine. You are such a grown up girl in so many ways
that sometimes we think of you as older than you really are. But officially today you are nine and we are
thrilled to celebrate all nine years of you.
You are my voracious reader. This year found you hauling massive volumes
of Harry Potter to and from school. I never
have to make you read. You’re so
imaginative and I frequently find you lost in a story. I hope you always love reading as much as you
do now.
You are still my little artist. You can knit, paint, sculpt, design, color
and draw just about anything. Your
drawings of cupcake cartoons are fantastically funny. I frequently find you sitting quietly at your
desk in your room just creating away.
You never ask for ideas or look to see what others have done. You just do your own thing and its always a
little bit magical.
Movie nights, Harry Potter, pandas, Calico Critters, Legos, interior design, crafts, baking, game nights, and being with your family are just some of your favorite things. Even your favorite things are sweet and fun. You are just a fun kid to be around.
You have such a tender heart, Maddie. So often you have this fairly tough
exterior. Someone might tease you and
for a while you can take it. But there
are days when it just sinks in and you come to me with a slightly bruised
heart. Most of our conversations are
about relationships. I struggle to teach
you how to be kind and compassionate without being a doormat. But I’m so proud that you just keep trying. You never give up. And you really truly want to be friends with
everyone.
You absolutely adore little children. You beg to be on duty in the nursery as often
as possible. You delight in watching
over your littlest cousins. You are so
attentive and the joy on your face as you play with them and entertain them is
so sweet.
I remind you frequently that you have a best friend for
life in your sister. The two of you have
sleepovers in each other’s rooms pretty much every night. You are closer than I probably even
realize. We hear you giggling late into
the night. I love the bond you have with
Reagan. And even though the two of you
don’t always get along perfectly, for the most part you are an amazing team.
Not to be forgotten is your love for your little
brother. He loves you so much. You always agree to take him to the
park. If anyone will crawl around on the
floor and play tractors with him it will be you. You make him laugh and play with him and
watch over him all at the same time. I
love that you always offer to read a book to him. He will have the best memories of the time
you spent with him.
At the beginning of this year, I took my first overnight
trip away from you. It was good for both
of us and it was also hard for both of us.
We have quite a bond, you and I.
I feel so loved by you and I try every day to make you feel just as
loved. I’m so glad we have that
together. So many times when I hug you I
find you holding on as though you never want to let go. That’s the feeling in my heart too. I want to keep you forever.
God knew what he was doing when he gave us you, Maddie
girl. We need your spunk and your
sweetness. We need your artistic eye and
your humor. We need your tender
attention and your many hugs. We
wouldn’t be the family we are without you.
You were our smallest baby but your impact has been so wonderfully
great. We could never have known the
tremendous gift of love and light that you would be to us in just your first 9
years of life.
The way you love others reminds me of Jesus. You are so giving and so fiercely determined
to forgive. God’s gentleness, creativity
and mercy lives in you. You are a
picture of God’s hand in my life. I hope
that as you grow you are able to see Him more and more. He’s got great plans for you and He’s already
begun to work them out.
Oh I love you so, Maddie Grace.
Happy Birthday.
Love,
Mom
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