birthday

The last three days have been filled with blessing. There has been so much excitement and energy around this house that I wouldn't doubt if you felt it from where you're sitting. Today was Nede's 6th birthday. This girl has been singing "Happy Birthday" to herself in the bathtub for the past 360 days. When it came her time to sing how old she was, she was ready!  Again, I have these emotions that I continually am shocked by, I don't anticipated them and they grab me out of nowhere! Yesterday was another, when she sat in front of about 20 of our friends and her little voice sang, "I'm 6 years old now, I'm 6 years old now, I'm 6 years old now, my friends, I'm 6 years old now" I was stinking proud of her. This child who a year and a half ago I was worried about because she was not talking and withdrawn, now exuberates confidence, has a heart of compassion and as we were getting ready for bed this evening she sincerely said to me, "Mommy, thanks for my presents." 

I'm not sure whose life has changed more since 2008 when I first met this little girl in a ragged yellow dress. 

One of the highlights of the party yesterday was when this little girl confidently (and innocently) stuck her donkey tail on another girls party hat!! She was so determined that I couldn't even get her facing in the right direction.

Nede's biggest disappointment of the weekend may have been that the wings of her "pharaoh" (confusion with "fairy") dress don't actually make her fly.

If there was some sort of meter to measure the happiness of a child, Nede would be off the charts! My prayer for Nede's life is the promise that Jesus gave when he said,  "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (John 10:10, The Message). 

It's no wonder Jesus also says to be more like these little ones. How much different would my life look if I lived in the now and didn't worry? Finally, as Dr Seuss says from one of the gifts Nede received, 

From sun in the summer,

From rain when it's fall-ish,

I'm going to protect them, 

No matter how small-ish!

Amen Dr!