Golden age 9 on the 9th

Today our daughter Elizabeth Carolyn Jane is age nine. It’s her golden birthday. I have thousands of pictures of her since her birth which was also documented on this blog nine years ago! Here are sweet memories from the last year of her being age eight with highlights of all that she is to us. Enjoy a look at the most kind I know, our sweet Miss E. 

Elizabeth is an always a friend willing to play with others. She prefers others to take the lead but isn’t close behind where all the action takes place. If there’s trouble she 99 times out of 100 hasn’t caused it. But once in a while, with her sister, she might be guilty.Miss E is a Daddy’s girl. She looks like me on the outside. I love her beautiful blue eyes, dimples and blonde hair. Inside she has her daddy’s sincere heart, always thinking of others ahead of herself.
Since her 2007 birth, when her brother was just starting organized sports, she has sat through hundreds of basketball, football, baseball games and track meets. Loyal and true, Elizabeth is a fan.Elizabeth is an actress when Missoula Children’s Theatre comes to our school. It gives her confidence!She’s also a loving sister, almost always, just ask her older brother and younger sister.Elizabeth is a serious student and developing her voice and opinions.Elizabeth is helpful and loves to take care of and play with younger kids. She can’t wait to be old enough to babysit on her own. We already know she will be a responsible babysitter!Elizabeth is uneasy at times about new experiences but not too shy to be willing to try. She has a fierce brave streak in her quiet self. It makes me proud to see her grow her talents and experiences by trying new things, like twirling, gymnastics or adventuring to a camp.Elizabeth is a farm girl and a loving granddaughter.Elizabeth loves WINTER more than summer. She doesn’t like hot weather but her favorite places to be in the summer time are at our prairie lake or in our small town swimming pool!If you need a helping hand, Elizabeth offers, always. I can always learn from her giving, selfless example.

(The only exception might be if her younger sister Anika needs help…then Elizabeth pauses to think about it!)Other than her own family, Elizabeth’s next favorite people are her cousins. She LOVES cousins! And she doesn’t love cats or kittens, but her sister does.For many years before she was born, Elizabeth was prayed for by her older brother. He wanted so badly to have a sibling to spoil! It’s been a year of change to have Elizabeth now be the oldest child at home with Hunter at college. Elizabeth learned from Hunter’s example but misses his daily presence in our home. It’s almost time for a Christmas break together. Below was their “last day” of school together.Elizabeth follows the rules and loves structure. Give her a task and she wants to do her best and do it right. I love that about her and it’s definitely a trait again from her daddy.Elizabeth is a musician, learning guitar and piano. She is beginning to establish her own practice routines without being told and developing her musicality. Elizabeth is a competitor and athlete.She loves family vacations!She also loves the ice cream truck visiting the beach on family vacations!Below is one of my favorite pictures. It shows how similar Elizabeth and Hunter are in their strides during one of their many races from our first summer family vacation this past year to Cape Cod. Hunter was just coming off having mono and was giving her head starts but didn’t want to get beat. They both were fiercely competing, eventually Anika and Nathan joined too. I just kept taking pictures! My racing days are over but I hope Miss E has many races left to run. Or she can be a discus thrower like me!Elizabeth is an eater, as in not a picky eater. She’s adventurous and will try most anything. Italian food, she loves and also anything homemade from her grandmas or me.Together we are country girls, who don’t mind a city visit once in a while. Traffic and city noises aren’t for Miss E. She loves wide-open spaces like a true prairie girl. A few days of city exploring and she wants her peace and quiet back in the country. She gets this from me! 
Elizabeth loves mangoes and anything flavored mango. There are little things I want to remember about her at this age, like her love for mangoes and this is special little smoothie date we had together in Boston.Elizabeth is also Nana’s girl. Nathan’s mom, Carol and dad, Eldon live right across from the girls’ school. Nana is often waiting with after school snacks, baking and games to play. Elizabeth loves her Nana’s German heritage baking and cooking and is learning from her.

Sweet Miss Elizabeth, you are a light in our lives. We are so proud of the girl you are growing up to be, how your faith is growing and how you share love with others. I’m always going to pray you keep your kind, sincere heart. You are an example many can learn from and we are proud of you. Don’t let the world change who you are. Stay true to your values and know we will always love you and support. You are a special and so loved, our golden birthday girl. 

We love you ECJP!