Ellie turned 5 years old this week.
Excuse me, what? I always wondered why parents were so shocked to wake up and find their children older and bigger than expected... and then it has happened over and over again to me. When did this precious light of a child become 5 whole years old?!
We had dinner with all the sisters and Grandma to celebrate and Ellie chose the entire menu: ham, grits ("Just plain, Mom, not the fancy kind!"), green beans, strawberries/raspberries/blackberries, and garlic bread. It was delicious!
We all packed into our living/dining room as we'd done for a few nights already.
Ellie also picked out the desserts for the evening: Pecan Pie, Peanut Butter Balls, and Fun-fetti cake (imported of course!). We also included Aunt Emily & Aunt Tracey in the birthday celebration as they share April birthdays with Ellie.
After cake we opened gifts. Ellie received several sweet cards from friends and family across the pond. She enjoyed each of them.
Then she opened her fun gifts!
But I have to say, I think the best gift was all that love she received from Aunt Tracey, Aunt Shelley and Aunt Emily (the name "Aunt Grandma" was even created this trip - and I'm surprised she didn't start calling Robert "Aunt Daddy"!!)
Ellie's birthday celebration also continued with a Daddy trip to Hamley's (7-story famous toy store in London) to pick out her birthday present.
On her actual birthday, the girls were with Robert away on a preaching assignment (while Mom was in Paris with the sisters & her momma). I was disappointed to miss (and, honestly, worried about not being able to help manage it all), but it was the only weekend it could work for him to preach there... and of course God provided the most generous and wonderful family for them to stay with. They even threw a little party of their own for Ellie - complete with a cake and gifts!
What a treasure you are to us, Ellie girl! I think back to knowing you as a newborn... and then a toddler... and now a big girl... and I think it just keeps getting better and better.
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| The day we brought you home... |
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| Your first birthday... |
You are kind and tender, cautious and clever. You are a true gift from God and you are dearly loved.
Happy #5, Ellie Belle!
So precious. Thank you for keeping us posted. And how wonderful that you all were able to be together and that you "girls" were even able to make a trip to Paris. I'm enjoying an orange tic tac and remembering when Ellie and Meg used to drop by the office for one! Blessings, Rob
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