"14!"

14 years ago last Friday this little gal blessed our family. 

At first she wasn't so sure of life--should she cry over spilled milk? 

She often did cry whether milk had spilled or not. 

Her first year, she cried and cried and cried--a lot. 

We felt like crying--a LOT. 

But it really just came down to this--Miss. A was/is a mover and a shaker, a getter and a doer. 

This laying around as a baby, waiting for someone to pick you up, was for the birds. 

Once she started crawling and moving, we saw the gal we know, love, and adore 

BURST OUT. 

Our Sunshine!

Her smile and love of life make us smile and love life. 

She's Brainy!

A. loves learning. She is the student teachers miss when she's absent. Even now when it's not as cool to love learning amongst her peers, she still works to learn and gain knowledge. 

She has style! 

She hasn't been easily swayed by trends and fashions.

 If she likes something, it's because SHE likes it.  

Oh, the places she'll go!  

She's motivated, obedient, and hardworking.

 She's an example of kindness and patience,

 knowing just when to give hugs to a mom low on patience. She listens to her brothers as they tell her about their day, talks with her sister, and laughs at her dad's jokes. 

 She is beautiful--inside and out. 

She loves her Heavenly Father and has a strong desire to do the right thing whether it's popular or not. She's stands up and speaks up for what is right.  

Oh, how we LOVE her! 

May all your wishes come true, A!

One day in the first year of her life as I was holding her and she was crying, the distinct thought came to my mind that this little bundle, while being a bit difficult and noisy right then, would be a great blessing to me and our family. She would be a supportive friend and a righteous influence in our home. She has been exactly that!