In the midst of our relaxing vacation at the Ranch my sweet Isabella turned 3. Three! In some ways it's hard to believe that it has already been three years. I can remember with absolute clarity our tearful introduction to our second baby girl. There was no shortage of tears that week as we welcomed this baby into our lives and as we grieved for her precious birthmom, who had also become our friend.
In other ways, it seems like we've known her forever. Her imprint in our lives and on our hearts is so significant, that it hardly seems like it could have happened in only three years.
We had a special family celebration at the Ranch on her actual birthday and then a Mickey Mouse party with all of her friends, birthmom included, this past week. (Have I mentioned her obsession with Mickey Mouse?) On her birthday, I decorated a dining chair for her with balloons and streamers (as I do on the kids birthdays) and she sat in it for breakfast. For lunch, though, she decided that Hope might want a turn in the special chair and, after realizing how ridiculous I sounded trying to convince my three year old to keep the special chair for herself, I let her decide what to do with it. (Ugh...not my proudest moment as a mom.) For dinner, it was daddy's turn to sit in it. That's just Bella.
Bella is a gift giver and she notices and comments on the strengths of others. She is a good sharer (well, we all have our off days) and is quick to apologize when she is wrong. She is the first to say a thorough thank you (by thorough I mean that during dinner I usually hear, "Thank you mom, for the chicken. Thank you for the peas. Thank you, mom, for the salad and thank you for my milk.") and always likes to make sure that if she gets a treat, those around her will be getting one, too. And, when she gets in trouble(which, because she is three, is beginning to happen more and more), she is, generally, truly troubled and heartbroken to have disappointed us.
In my prayers for Bella, I pray often that she would rest secure in God's love for her and would therefore have the courage to offer her tender heart to others for His glory and her joy. May it be so, Lord!
Happy, Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!
2 comments:
i love to hear you point out the details of her heart because you know it so well. sweet girl is right! loving your daily posts. keep it up!
What a precious prayer for her. My 4 yr. old loves the whole Mickey Mouse thing as well. She had that as her theme when she turned 4 and insists on another one for 5. She says, "I like my birthday, I wanna have it again." lol. That might work out well for her, just not as quickly as she'd like.
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