8 is great!

This sweet girl turned 8 today. We had planned on taking her out of school early and head to DC for our annual Wizards weekend. She and I were going to go to the American Girl Store and get her doll pampered and eat at the restaurant again. She had already figured out exactly what outfit she was going to buy for her doll. I told her after we could have a small party with her friends in a week or so but hadn’t gotten around to planning it. 

Then corona virus hit the United States and everyone lost their minds. 

So we are social distancing and staying home. But amid all that upheaval this girl has been so easy going and laid back with essentially her birthday plans cancelled. We have since received the new American girl catalogue so her list is growing daily about all she wants from the store. If we ever get to go she will be picking more than one outfit! Ha! 

I asked her how she felt about having her birthday during a global pandemic! I think we all feel that way right now! 

She did all her Thursday assignments yesterday so she wouldn’t have any schoolwork on her birthday. The boys agreed and they also didn’t do any work! Homeschooling at its best I guess. They will catch up tomorrow. 

She opened presents, FaceTimed with Ant Ant and Ma-am-Maa and Grandpa. 

And then she went outside to play all afternoon. 

She’s looking way too old lately and asks deep and hard life questions. She tells me weekly that she can’t wait to go to heaven because then she wouldn’t ever have to be afraid. She loves to snuggle, play with her dolls and legos, Netflix, and reading books. 

When she’s asked to describe herself she will usually say that she is brave. Makes me tear up each time. But I also can’t think of any other way to describe her. She is very brave. And wise beyond her years. 

She still comes in our room each night around 1:30/2:00. She claims she sleepwalks but I’m

soaking it all up because it won’t last forever. I snuggle with her and get her back to sleep. She is still so tiny to carry around. I tell her she needs to soak that up because that will soon be stopping as she’s growing so fast. 

Happy birthday sweet girl! You bring so much joy and laughter to our lives.