Ella's 11th

Last Thursday was Ella's birthday. She is officially a tween.

She will be going into middle school this year as a sixth grader. What seemed like yesterday I took her 2nd birthday picture. She wore the cutest little dress (not basketball shorts) and she had only a single bleached blond curl above each ear (and they didn't need much brushing). Now she never wears dresses and has lots of seldom brushed hair.

Sometimes silly things like that make me crazy. Then there are times she shares the most tender moments of raw emotion that my heart hurts as if it's beating in her chest. Always sweet and kind, she's also an independent adventurer and I love to see her go off on her own. She sticks with what feels right, even when it may not be the popular vote. Times like those make me realized why sometimes the silly things make me crazy.

I recall there was a time when I didn't want to brush my hair and only wanted to wear my horrible, orange-y "fashion" boots with the crepe sole. Time alone never was a problem. Choosing to go home rather than pile into a car in search of a rumored party was typical. I think I turned out alright.

My hope for my beautiful girl is for her to take the good bits of me (real or imagined) and add to them all the wondrous things that make her Ella.  I know she will fulfill her potential and become even more amazing than I already think she is. Okay, maybe I do hope she'll stop wearing basketball shorts and brush her hair. Everything in due time.

Happy 11th Princess Bean! We love you as big as the sky!