Happy Birthday, Maggie Mae.

Maggie Mae,

Happy Birthday! You are five years old today. I know this is the kind of thing moms say all the time, but I can hardly believe it's been five years since you made your grand and speedy entrance into the world in Nampa, Idaho. Your dad and 21-month old Max and I had just moved to Idaho a few weeks before you were born. We didn't know a single person in our new town, but the day I brought you home from the hospital I knew I instantly had a wonderfully tiny and precious new friend. I loved those first few months of getting to know you!

Even before you were born, I believed God had a special plan for your life. Now that I really know you– the strong, passionate, artistic, intelligent, loving girl you are– I believe more than ever that God has great things in store for you. I pray every day that God will capture your heart and channel all of your passion and strength and stubbornness toward the things that really matter, toward the very few things in life that will last forever.

I was thinking this week about a time when you were just over a year old. I was playing the piano at Grandpapa and Grandmama's house and you came in the room to listen. When the music came to a quite dramatic and beautiful resolution, you spread your arms out wide and let out a huge sigh. You got it. At one year old. This week you played your first real song on the piano. And I saw another glimpse of the beautiful soul that God formed inside me five years ago. I can hardly wait to see what the next five years will bring and all they will reveal about the woman God is growing you to become. I wouldn't trade this journey with you for anything. Anything.

I love you, sweet girl.

Mommy