Eight years old, eh? And what a birthday it is! The world is changing - has already changed - rapidly and these past several weeks have been hard on the world, hard on our community, hard on our family, and hard on you. Thank goodness for your tenacity. You have been so excited to turn 8 this year. Whenever I asked you what it was that made 8 feel like such an exciting birthday, you never really had an answer. That's okay. You can be excited about turning 8. Or 8 1/2. Or 8 7/8 for all I care. I'm excited too. I'm excited to watch you grow. You are doing some amazing things around here. Your pallet fort, fairy habitat, fire pit, general yard work, flower tending, make-believe with AL, swinging and chase with CJ, getting lost in stories, books, and songs, gaining an understanding of who you are and, indeed, who you want to be. When you come in covered in dirt, pockets full to bursting with nature items collected that day, I know something is right in the world. I am so glad your Papa and I can provide you with the space and time to do all of those things. I feel lucky in that way. And I know I'm the luckiest because I get to be your Mama.
Happy Birthday, Sprout.
Love,
~Mama
