oh, but she is!

Eight years old?  No way!! My carefree, life lovin', Jesus praisin' girl can not be eight years old... oh, but she is.

I just spent a while looking back through hundreds thousands of pictures from her last birthday to today, what a year it has been!  To say it has not been her easiest year would be an understatement.  But to say it has been a tough year could skip a lot of joyful moments, grand adventures, fresh  beginnings and sweet victories. 

Some highlights of this past year have been watching her flourish as she learns and plugs away to get her school work done (always reaching for the reward of time to play when she has completed her work list.)

Starting piano lessons made me a little nervous.  Adding something else to the schedule, knowing she had to actually be still for even more time daily, I just wasn't sure that was going to work out.  What a beautiful surprise!  
When she takes her seat on that bench a posture comes over her, a stillness, a sureness, and beautiful music and confidence are being made.

 Of all the highlights of the year though, the sweetest has to be the day she publicly proclaimed Jesus to be her Rescuer. 

Yes, there have been bumps in the road this year.  She is a trooper for sure.  Her food world has been turned upside down, so now she reads a lot of labels.  She has to have weekly shots, but now she weekly makes the nurses laugh.  She struggles with it like any kids would, but she also breaks into singing and dancing as she praises the one who created her, allergies and all.

About a month ago a sad thought struck her after being at a friend's birthday party, "What about my birthday cake?  Mom, you always make me a cake.  Do you think you can still do that?"  Remember those sweet victories...well, we have shared a lot of those.

After some tears and fears on my parts, I ordered some new cookbooks, tried some different (gluten-free,  soy-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free) cake and icing (dairy free with some refined sugar) recipes, used Mark's birthday cake as a guinea pig. And tonight when I got the thumbs up from her, her friends, her sisters, and her daddy I felt like hunting down the writer of this cook book and giving her a giant hug!!

Sweet victory indeed for a girl who deserves each one that comes her way!!

I love you my sweet Haleigh!  You continue to stretch me, teach me, and love me daily~thanks!