So today you are 5! Happy birthday sweet girl. I can’t believe you are FIVE. It feels like time is flying by. Sometimes I look at you, and marvel that you are my daughter.

You are GROWING. Just the other day we realized that two pairs of jeans, which recently fit you, now are way too short. You are also starting to look more grown up, and more mature. Less like my little girl and more like my growing girl.

Daddy and I also are in awe of how smart you are. You are in Pre-K, which you call Pretty-K, at Lancaster Christian Academy, and you LOVE it. In addition to your (awesome) teacher, Miss Baer, you love all of the faculty, and I think they love you too. You speak often of Mrs. Richardson, Mrs. Robinette and Mrs. Walker, as well as your other Pretty-K teachers.

A couple weeks ago, you were really sick, for a long time, and you were so brave. I was so proud of you, while you battled a crazy infection for 9 (very long) days. It was a scary time for Daddy and I, for sure.

I remember holding you, while waiting for test results after your chest X-ray, and feeling so hopeless, and so powerless. I wept, more than once, out of fear and frustration. Your school was so wonderful at reaching out to our family – I think I got texts or emails every day from at least one of them – and once Dr. Pinkley figured out what was wrong, you were back to your feisty self … and I couldn’t have been happier about it.

You love going to church on both Sundays and Wednesdays. On Sunday mornings you get to see Miss Jan and Miss Susan, who you talk about a lot, and on Wednesdays you go to Rainbows with Miss Lisa and Miss Tracy. You love them and they love you and that makes me really happy.

This year you started riding your big bike, albeit with training wheels. You love riding outside with your big brother, even though you sometimes get frustrated when he is allowed to ride farther down the street than you. You really love doing anything with your big brother, but you do both get on each other’s nerves sometimes. Overall, I’m grateful for the relationship you two have. When you’re hurt or scared or sad, you want Reagan most of all.

You love hanging out with Poppy, Gran Jan, Aunt Tracy, Daniel and Oma, as well as all of our family in PA. We’ve been to PA twice this year, staying part of the time with Aunt Millie and Uncle Alvin. I still remember how sweetly you asked, after you found out Aunt Millie’s grandchildren called her Mimi, if you could call her that too. Since you never got to meet my mother, having Aunt Millie/Mimi is really special to me.

You of course still love Aunt Dawn and Uncle Mike, Hunter and Amanda, Pop-Pop and Nana, and all of our PA friends and family. I feel so blessed that you remain so close to them even though we don’t get to see them as much as we would like.

We still go twice a year to Shriner’s in Lexington, while we try to figure out what to do about your sweet little foot. There hasn’t been much change, or really any change, and Daddy and I keep discussing if we should have your toes removed. I trust that we will know what to do when we need to know.

You love playing outside, or inside (although you don’t necessarily love cleaning up). You love dolls, arts and crafts, and all things Frozen and princess-y. You are a GREAT eater, and will eat almost anything, which is such a blessing. You also love naps, and usually say that’s the best part of your day. You are a pretty good traveler, and already have a big, big love of books.

I love you, Marella Hope Grace Isabella Peanut Butter Cup Turnip Jalapeño Popper Thompson. You are one of my two greatest gifts. I can’t imagine life without you. I love you big. You are destined for great, great things.