You have been 8 for a whole month now.
I think you are handling it quite well! And of course you are! YOU are a capable girl.
You are determined, strong, and creative. You are industrious and intuitive. I am constantly in awe of how capable and innately brave you are. Solid. Strong. Innovative.
You are a strong young girl growing to be strong young woman… You won’t need GPS — you’ll prefer to figure out your own path.
There are times I see you watching others… making choices based on theirs… and then there are times I see you pushing back the limbs and branches of life because you’d rather do a little clearing than follow the well-trodden path. If you choose the former, I pray those people are making good choices… If it’s the latter, I pray it is because of honorable moral conviction & a drive to create.
Honestly, I sometimes have a hard time figuring you out. I have learned I cannot ask you direct questions if I want to dig into a deep conversation. With you, we must work or task side-by-side and let a conversation grow. You are a do-er and you value actions above words.
I found few pictures of you to choose from for this letter. While you have developed a freedom in creativity and artistic expression… you are becoming more guarded – even quirky 🙂 This has meant lots of hiding from the camera! And your sense of modesty is strong … I just hope that lasts through your teenage years 🙂
Your laugh is your social signature. It is quite possible God gave you the very best laugh he created. If I had a nickle for every time someone told me how refreshing, full, delightful, INCREDIBLE your laugh is… we’d be set! I am certain your laugh is going to lighten countless heavy hearts over your lifetime.
Crafty. I tried to teach you to knit. I couldn’t figure it out. Even with YouTube. But you did! When you wanted to make earrings, but had no traditional earring-making items… you used a hole punch, paper and safety pins. You sub pencils for knitting needles… You LOVE to create! The medium does not matter. Pens, paper, glue, yarn, Easter grass, tape, fabric, water…. WORDS.
A “little mother”. If there is a need, you work to meet it. And though you are a kid and do complain… if I really think about it all… you get things done with very little discontent. You eat your veggies first just so you can get the inevitable done! You seem to be blessed with the gift of nurturing and genuinely love caring for others. You love to be needed.
And you are needed.
You fill a place in my heart that would be empty otherwise. Your unique way and mannerisms are a gift to me and our family. I pray for this, your 8th year. I pray for wisdom an confidence as you learn to work with friends who choose to place you in the middle. I pray for your continued passion for modesty… continued passion for creating… I pray for you and me, knowing the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship. I pray we are able to weather the process and come into your adulthood with a rich, meaningful relationship. I love you beyond any words I could write or say. I adore you, Olivia. I am overwhelmed with joy that I have the privilege to call you my daughter. I do not take that for granted.
I love you sweetie…
Mom
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