Happy Birthday Elizabeth!

Today our youngest girl is 4.

She came into this world in quite a dramatic way. We were at the hospital, my water had broken and my doctor was just down the hall. He knew from the last delivery that towards the end everything comes fast and hard. I was definitely into the last part of labor. What we hadn't anticipated was the awful nurse that was attending me that night. She was rude and very sarcastic . . . assuming she knew more than me about when to call the doctor. She ended up delivering Elizabeth without even time for rubber gloves. My first glimpse of that sweet little newborn babe is ingrained in my memory for all time. She was so alert, and never cried a tear. Her blue eyes locked on my brown and in that instant we bonded in a mother/daughter relationship that has certainly blessed my life.

There are so many things to tell about Elizabeth. She loves to cook . . . anything from toasting bagels to fajitas. She is very adventurous . . . she's held a snake, gone down the steepest, scariest of slopes, traversed into the darkest of caves and jumped right off the diving board, all with not a hint of fear or caution. And with all of that, she remains the girliest of girls. She is genuinely sweet and quite sentimental. She is also very loving. She can sometimes be a little manipulative in her quest to have things her way!! She is full of zest for life. At 3 and 1/2 years old she was a beginning reader. This was her idea . . . I never would have even contemplated starting her in readers before the age of 4. She is quite independent!

But best of all, she loves Jesus. She's given Him her heart, although I can't say exactly when. At an early 3 she shared with us she had asked Jesus in her heart. And to tell you the truth, we were rather dismissive. How can a 3 year old understand enough about Jesus and sin and forgiveness? But here's what I do know . . . He lives in her heart and she loves Him. When exactly He became Lord of her life is a mystery to me, but certainly one I can live with (as the WHEN seems so insignificant to the WHAT!). And she prays . . . and prays . . . and prays for just about everyone who crosses her path, and seems to never forget a prayer request.

Yesterday we celebrated her birthday together as a family. We are all thankful for God sending us Elizabeth. May we be the stewards God wants us to be as we continue to raise her.

Here's some pictures!