Celebrating Angela

It’s hard to believe it has been another year. It’s hard to believe it has been eight years! And yet, here we are, celebrating eight years of our precious Angela.

In the past year we’ve seen Angela grow in so many ways. While the excited little girl is still there, the poised young lady is also beginning to show her face.

Angie’s introverted nature definitely shows itself more and more. She needs her retreat and her time alone. But, she also loves nothing more than being with her brother and sister. She adores them both, as they do her.

Her quick wit has not lessened in the least! She is sassy and sharp, and still has moments when we just can’t believe some of the things that come out of her mouth. Although we’ve had to remind her how to be polite in her quick-wittedness, we still get a kick out of how sharp she is!

In her looks, too, we see that precious balance between the little girl face we’ve loved for so long…

…and the glimpses of young lady that show up more and more with each passing day.

Angie is still rarely seen without a book in hand, and the things she reads fuel her delightful imagination.

Her bed is full of stuffies, her room is continually cluttered with things she has created and considers precious, and there is never any predicting what strange outfit will be adorning a stuffed animal or doll.

If it is possible for her to have increased in prissiness, she has done so! If it is dainty, she loves it! Or if it’s Hello Kitty. That fascination continues, strong as ever!

Her sweet face is always a delight, but then when she breaks into that huge grin, she lights up from head to toe and just melts my heart!

Her favorite things: Bubby the blanket still ranks high on the list; favorite stuffies tend to rotate, although her new sock doll might top them all for a little while; quiche, yogurt, and homemade granola bars seem to be high on her favorite food list; her favorite clothing is anything dress-up; she loves history and continually begs me to read more, but she also is very sharp in math and science; her favorite hairstyle is lots and lots and lots of curls, made possible by either rag or foam curlers.

The past year has shown an increased confidence on her bike and in the swimming pool, both of which have been major accomplishments for her!

Angela’s eighth year of life has been a precious one, without a doubt. The more I see her grow and learn, the more excited I am to see how God shapes and molds her into a young woman. I am so thankful for eight years with this captivating child, and I delightfully look forward to many, many more.

Happy birthday, precious Angela! We love you and are so very thankful that God chose to bless our family with you!

Angie’s birthday pictures are courtesy of my sister Allison Browning. These are unedited, raw pictures, but you can find examples of her polished work at her new site: http://abrowningphotography.tumblr.com/