Month: March 2009

  • Dear Ainsley, as you turn 5

     Dear Ainsley on the occasion of your 5th birthday,

    My dear firstborn I can not believe you are now 5 years old.  Everyone told me it would fly by, but I had no idea just how fast it would go.  You are everything and nothing I thought you would be when I first looked into your eyes five years ago. 

    I am beyond thankful that God gave you to me.  I couldn't imagine having any other little girl as my firstborn child.  There have been times when I wondered if God knew what He was doing by giving you to me, but I know God makes no mistakes and you are the perfect complement to our family. 

    I love your love of life.  You find joy in everything from the mundane every day stuff of life to the things you find most enjoyable.  You teach me much every day.  You teach me how to still have fun, you teach me how to relax and let go of the little things, you teach me how to love others with complete abandon. 

    This year you have started school for the first time.  Even though you are only gone three half-days a week, I still miss you.  I can not believe you are old enough to go to school and have part of your life be something I am not a part of.  I have been so proud of you and all you have learned this year.  I know you are looking forward to going to kindergarten next year. You have become an excellent helper and I love seeing you play with your sister. This year you also played soccer for the first time and went to your first day camp this summer.  You taught yourself how to "pump your legs" on the swing and you could spend hours in the backyard playing and exploring.  You continue to swim well and loved riding any ride you were tall enough for at Six Flags.  You have no fear and love to try new things.

    This year was also the first time you really experience true heartbreak.  The first time was when you had to say goodbye to your very first friend.  Your friend Abigail, with whom you had been friends since birth, moved away and you had to deal with that sadness and loneliness.   You were also truly heartbroken to learn you were not going to be a big sister again.  As your mom I wanted so badly to take away your pain in both situations, but I know that it is just the beginning of you learning how to deal with sadness and heartbreak and I am so proud of how well you handled them.

    Your heart has been pricked this year by the Word of God and you have had many questions about salvation and other spiritual matters.  I have loved answering them and hearing how God is working on your heart.  I pray every day that you will accept God's gift of salvation, that you will learn to love the Lord with all your heart and that you will desire to serve Him.

    I love you, my Ainsley, and I can't wait to see what you're going accomplish this year.

    Love,
    Your Mommy