14

Alyssa turned 14 last Friday!!

I remember being in the hospital, holding her tiny 5 pound 8 ounce body swaddled tight like a little burrito and thinking she was just the most perfect thing I had ever seen. I marveled at the tiny wrinkles on her fingers and toes and studied her delicate little finger nails. She was born with these amazing and wise steely eyes that just seemed to stare back right through me, as if she was examining every detail of me, just like I was of her. Now I know that with her imperfect newborn vision, she was trying to focus on something ~ anything, but at the time, being a young first-time mom, I was sure she had my number from the day she was born.

If you would have told me back then about the kind of fourteen year old young lady she would be someday, I could not have even imagined the girl we have today. It would have been just too much to dream up.

In the last few weeks alone, she has asked to drive Dave's car, gotten her first cell phone and filled out high school applications... pretty significant milestones that I can't even believe are upon us.

Alyssa has a gentle, careful, independent and creative nature. She's kind and attentive to anyone younger than she is, and respectful to anyone older. There's about a million different things I could say about her, mostly all to say that we are so thankful for Alyssa and the delightful young person she is. She has admittedly made our first year of parenting a teenager rather easy.

{at Disney World's Magic Kingdom in August, right after getting a kiss on the cheek from Marie.}

{at her MPact Girls "Friends" graduation in June. Alyssa still has a terrible dislike of fire of any kind, a little bit of the symbolism of this part of the ceremony is lost on her as she tries not to panic about the small flame she is holding.}

{At the Rainforest Café}

{Walking in Epcot's France with Rebekah. I always appreciate how watchful Alyssa is of her younger sisters!}

Happy 14th Birthday, Alyssa! 

 We love you very much!!