I'm going to barely get this blog completed on your birthday. Our tradition has become to write down things that are all about you on your special day.
My goodness, what a year it is has been. You started Kindergarten like a pro and never seemed phased by all the new challenges of the year. Daddy and I were so nervous for you to go to this "big school". We walked you in the first day and on day two you were begging me to drop you off at the curb. I honestly couldn't physically do that. I walked you in for three days. By this point, you were begging to go inside by yourself. So the end of the week, I let you. I pulled up to the teacher, sat there blocking traffic until you were not only in the door, but out of my sight, then I cried, for a very long time. You have always been fiercely independent and nothing about school was going to slow you down.
Your teacher was Mrs. Newsome and you LOVED her! Daddy and I prayed for you to have a good match for your personality and she was an answer to that prayer. She challenged you with harder homework and more responsibility all of the time. She also ensured you were listening, gently coached you, and taught you so many new things. I'll never forget sitting at the dinner table while you told us all about 9/11. It hadn't occurred to me to tell you about that day yet. Here you sat telling me all about "bad guys" and "heroes" and people who didn't live. While you were learning about new things, our world was expanding too. It's been hard to keep up with you this year.
You are such a great reader!!! Somewhere this spring, a switch flipped, and you were suddenly reading everything. You finished at a reading level of eight (you needed to be at a three to move out of Kindergarten). You are reading chapter books now and again, Daddy and I are barely able to remember what you are currently reading.
You begged for a Barbie Birthday Party this year. We just finished cleaning from the party at Uncle Robert and Aunt Joene's pool. It was so neat to see the different people from church and soccer all together to celebrate you. You also negotiated for a pinata this year. You told me you dreamed about it and wanted it to be just like dreamed. Which leads me to my next point...
You are so very particular. You dream big. You are creative and artistic. You are really good at drawing and story writing. You love to help Micah with art. You write letters to Micah all the time. Letters about being a great brother, being a stupid brother, hoping he will leave you alone, or hoping he will have a better day. Since Micah can't read yet, he has remained blissfully unaware of these masterpieces in his room.
For the most part, you are really good to Micah. He looks up to you so much and loves to be with you. You tolerate him well and allow him to play with you and your toys. Overall, you are very protective of him too. You've taught him and loved him. You are an amazing big sister.
You continue to love soccer. When I asked you if you wanted to play next year, you looked at me like that was the dumbest question in the world. It is something you really enjoy and are very good at doing. You are so competitive and kept track of the score all season, even though we weren't supposed to.
You love Barbie, play houses, makeup, UNO, Match games, and anything artsy. You love smoothies, pizza, cinnamon sticks, popcorn and M & M's. Your favorite shows right now are Scooby Doo, Doc McStuffins, and Word Girl.
You have a big heart and the desire to love others. You have a good understanding of God and challenge me often because your faith is great. You simply make our life better, because you are our Natalie girl.
My prayer for you is that you remain your independent, fiesty, competitive, sweet, self. I pray that you have great friends who love God and love you. I pray you never forget how special you are because God created you for such a time as this. I do not know where this life will lead you, but I do know if you love God and love others, it will be very,very good.
Keep smiling, posing, dancing, playing, climbing, kicking, singing, running, praying, and loving. You have spent the last six years doing all of that and more. I can't wait to see what God has laid out for you in a lifetime.
I love you Natalie, forever, for always, no matter what.
Happy Birthday!!!
