My sweet June! I can't believe I am writing yet another entry- the time is flying! You are NINE!! Half of your childhood has absolutely flown by. I am blown away by who you are- you are so wonderful and fun and hilarious and sensitive and generous and snuggly and thoughtful and I am just so so so thankful that I get a front row seat to watching you grow up and knowing you!
I feel like a lot of the pics below do an awesome job of summing you up! Your bubbly, fun, wild, sweet personality is a whole mood. You can fill a house with laughter and move me to tears with your precious notes and little gifts. The way you love the Lord is evident in all you do and I am so thankful for that- I pray that your relationship with Him would continue to grow deeper as you allow Him to refine you and teach you and grow you into the woman you are made to be! Your life will have a unique and huge impact on the world around you. I can't wait to see it! Anyway, I'll just jot down a few things about you at 9!
You spend a lot of time and effort on your hair. You are hoping it will grow thicker so you have your Ita trim it frequently and I think it is helping? You love to wear it down, but also love to wear it up. You will brush it out and spend a lot of time getting it just right and of course finish it with hair spray! you love it when I braid your hair too- favorite!
You did cheer all throughout the Fall until Christmas. You had a once weekly class with the Tasa girls and you had so much fun. I feel like you didn't learn a lot though and it wasn't really that athletic haha. so we went ahead and pulled you and hope to get you into a gymnastics class soon. I'm struggling because Ellie really wants to do gymnastics too and I can't find a time at FlightSchool (the only close gym) that works for everyone... Alinah wants to join too and so we need a class with 3 openings that also has an opening for a preschool class haha. I'm working on it. It was on your last year bday goals and it is there again this year. you wanted a balance beam and you still cartwheel everywhere and drop down into the splits all the time. you even got a shirt for Christmas that says "Why walk when you can cartwheel" and it is the cutest. you love it! so hopefully soon my little gymnast girl. i can't wait to see you start up and learn so much determination and hard work and gracefulness and strength!
You are doing amazing in school! You have been flying through your LA and math! your dad said you get $100 for each of those core subjects when you finish and you are motivated! You are loving doing cursive and often write in it for fun. I am going to get you started in a typing program soon. We are doing The Organic Studies for science, but very slowly as it is still just a LOT to be homeschooling 3 grades with 2 toddlers in tow. We are listening to "Real Cool History for Kids" podcasts for history and I love it- it is so Biblical and fun and easy! We are doing lots of art just for fun, listening to Happy Hymnody each day, and you are in a virtual BSF class once a week studying Revelation! You're doing grandma school once a week on Thursdays with the Mones girls and grandma is doing all your social studies and lots of geography and history and such too! I think you're loving homeschool and we have no plans to stop anytime soon!
Your main friends are the Tasa and Mones girls. We do lots of things with them! I am so thankful for this because I really wanted them to meet and it has all come to fruition- we accidentally ended up all doing swimming together when I signed you up with the Tasa girls and then we continued into a free weekly golf class with dad that lasted til the Fall and then into GMC! I wish the Tasas could have joined us, but they're doing some other homeschool in person stuff and couldn't swing it all. maybe next year? We are currently doing a FunFit class all together through some of Janie's church friends. and we just did the Jungle Maze all together and it was so fun- 3 hours you all played! Elliette brought some fabric and a sharpie and you made flags and played capture the flag! All those girls love the Lord and have the best mamas and I am just so thankful for really GOOD friends in your life! Oh yeah, and we are starting up a monthly meeting called Grace Girls with our crew (and expanding to include more Christian girls! too! excited for that!
we have been doing JAM (Jesus&Me) through Trinity Lutheran Church every other week. It is 3-6 grades so your cousin Ruby has been joining us this year when she can and next year maybe Alinah will come! You love it. It is so fun hearing about ultimate tag and Body Body Body and all sorts of crazy games and all the crazy kiddos. such youth group stuff!
Your teeth are coming in crazy crooked and i know you're kind of self concious about that, so we will probably have to look into a palate expander (ow!) in the next year. boooo.
you are still very into your clothing and fashion and love to dress up. but you also love to dress down and are the queen of cozy at home. you are still pretty messy and we're working hard on you putting your clothes away when you change 3x a day ;)
You still love to play Barbies and with your American girl dolls! You dress the dolls up and take them with you, but don't play pretend with them as much. the Barbies though, you're lost for hours in pretend play. You and Jo have elaborate set ups for your houses. you make all sorts of amazing things out of legos and clay for them- like a lego wheelchair for a Barbie with a missing leg, clay pizzas! so cool. you also sew pillows and bedding and clothing for them. i am so so thankful that you have your barbie world to get lost in. what a magical childhood! you and Jo sure fight about Barbie stuff a lot too though ;)
you and Jo are knee-deep in Little House on the Prairie episodes right now! I am SO thankful you love that show. I have you watch it in the living room whenever possible so i can watch while prepping dinner too ;) such memories for me! I love the innocence and morals taught and the way the characters openly stand firm in their faith and love for Jesus. Couldn't pick a better show for you to love! You're also really into Play-Doh Squished- where kids build huge elaborate lego stories and two teams get Squished and one wins. such an awesome show!
You love to help in the kitchen! You are getting soo good at scrambled eggs, have done french toast, can make your own hot dogs in the air fryer, etc. We are trying to incorporate more cooking into our school weeks to really help build your confidence. I hope that as a young lady, you have a ton of skill and ability in the kitchen and that it is a huge blessing to you in life. also you love the garden and i feel like the two go hand in hand, so you'll be having lots of opportunities to be involved in the garden this spring and summer!
You went to Mexico with just your Ita and Johanna for TWO WEEKS! A whole different country without me for so long at only 8 years old... i mean dang girl. you cried a bit the few nights before leaving, but once you were there i barely heard from you and you had an amazing time! spoiled little lady <3
You also went on a trip to CA without mom this last summer! crazy traveler! you went to my cousin Olivia's wedding in my place, since I couldn't very well leave the other 4 kids or the farm work in the middle of July. You had a blast! you danced like crazy at the wedding and we have some great videos. you got ice cream and went swimming and ate up so much alone attention haha. grandma always says it is like you are a different girl when she gets you alone because she doesn't get you alone often so she isn't privy to you fully sharing and opening up like you can only do when there are no siblings around ;)
your personality is so fun. you looove to bug people. like purposefully poking or just nudging someone along to see how long they'll tolerate it until they scream ha. just like your dad. you were totally doing it to zakeus (1.5) the other day over and over and i was pointing it out and you would be like, "Ya but it is just so cute when he freaks out." JUNE! you also love to say that you are just like dad because you never get angry and when you do you're over it so fast. i would say that is super true! You have big feelings, but you are somehow able to channel your frustration into a good cry fest and you'll feel better! many times, you'll come over and just say you need a hug and then you'll start crying. I am SO thankful to be your safe place where you know you can fall apart and just be where you are in your emotions, etc. I hope you always always feel safe with me and let me know your heart. I don't take the privilege for granted. i love you so much and am so happy to be your mama and know your sweet little heart at 9. you are absolutely so precious to me! my sun and my moon. i love your heart and i love your ambition and i love your creativity. i love the way you aren't angry at me about not getting you into gymnastics this year. and i love the way you're so excited about camp tilikum and vbs and cheer camp again this summer. and i love the way you'll ask me to sit and read your puberty book at 8:05 after you're supposed to be in bed because you really want to spend time with me, but know that i probably won't say yes unless it is something productive haha. i love braiding your hair and doing your laundry and seeing you enjoy food i've made. i love hearing your laugh and listening to your deep breaths when you're asleep. i love watching you try new things and persevere through hardships and make new friends and do big things. you are incredible. i love you so so much. i pray that the Lord will bless you and keep you this next year and that you will have good health and good friendships and that you will come to know Him even more!
Love, Mama
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