Author: kristinstegent

Last Thursday we left Oklahoma and headed for Kansas. It was a longer drive than our preferred 3-4 1/2 hour drives. We had a check engine light come on in the truck. The van had the message, “required oil change”, come up while driving even though we weren’t even close to due for an oil change. And once we arrived in Kansas, our RV would not auto-level.

To my surprise, manually leveling the RV wasn’t hard. I am the one who handles all the hydraulics, meaning the jacks and slides. Once we were set up, we said, “Kansas is hot!” We are from Texas. We are used to temperatures above 100 degrees. Heat typically doesn’t rattle us. Kansas really surprised us, though. It really was just so hot. We stayed in an immaculate RV park with flat concrete slabs, but we were definitely missing shade.

We regularly check the weather. We prefer to know if a storm is heading our way. All looked clear on that first night in Kansas, so we went to bed as usual. It wasn’t windy, so we left our awning out. About 2:30 in the morning, I woke up to a noise and shaking I recognized. Our awning was going wild in the wind. I woke up Ryan, and he quickly put the awning in. We checked our phones and had alerts that 60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail were headed our way. If you’ve ever experienced either in an RV, it’s not fun. But experiencing it with scared kids is a whole different level of intense. So…we woke all the kids up and made our way through thunder, lightning and gusty rain to the storm shelter. I’d like to say, we love that Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska have storm shelters! Surprisingly, the kids weren’t terrified. We goofed around talking and laughing for about an hour while we rode out the storm. It ended up not hailing, which was great. We checked off another box of interesting adventures and a good story to tell.

The next day, actually the next four days, we were exhausted. We were hot, worn out and just wanted to chill. So that’s what we did. We played games, read books, sat around, walked in the late evenings when it cooled down and played on the playground. We found out the truck just needed new oil filters, the van just had not been reset when it had its last oil change and how to reset our jacks so that auto-level would resume working. Oh, and our awning did survive the wind gusts. Thankfully! Monday I did something I never do…I baked. I baked a blackberry cobbler. I can’t take much credit because our friend, Diane, premixed most of the ingredients for me and wrote the simplest version of the recipe down for me. I used the blackberries our kids picked in Texas that we’d frozen. And it was really good. The kids were shocked. Ryan was shocked. And I was just happy to partake of the yumminess.

By Monday evening we realized we had not seen or experienced Kansas at all really. So, we made some plans for the next couple days.

On Tuesday we drove by Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site. We thought it was closed due to COVID-19, but we wanted to at least check. It was closed, but we got to see this amazing wall of murals.

Then, we decided to go to the Evel Knievel Museum – Ryan’s suggestion. It was pretty fun and fascinating.

Evel Knievel was an American stunt performer who attempted more than 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps over the coarse of his career.

It was funny seeing our kids’ reactions. Most of them asked, “Why on earth would he risk his life?!” As their mom, it was comforting to me that they asked this question. Ha. But we all were amazed by the stunts Evel Knievel performed, all the broken bones he got over the years and that he always got back up and went for it again.

Traveling during COVID-19 is definitely different. Most places are set up to function the best possible and to facilitate social distancing. At the Evel Knievel Museum, we were given a map and asked to walk a specific path in order to avoid two groups meeting. We saw two men walking the museum, that’s it. It is interesting to see how each place is choosing to handle things during this time. I know it is not easy on these businesses!

Wednesday, we really wanted to go to Old Prairie Town in Topeka. On the internet, it appeared it was open, but it wasn’t. It’s open Thursday through Sunday, so we were a little bummed that we wasted those days not knowing we were missing out on this. It did look really neat, and we’ll definitely plan to go if we are ever in the Topeka, KS area again.

We ended up at Gage Park.

There is a carousel, mini-train, aquatic center, walking trail, playgrounds and a rose garden.

There were so many people there! We were surprised. The playgrounds, train and carousel were full of kids. We decided just to walk around the flower garden. There weren’t many people there, and that’s not something we’ve done before.

We spent over an hour walking around, looking at and smelling flowers and taking photos. We all really enjoyed it.

I think we just had a rough start in Kansas, we weren’t prepared for the heat and we were worn out from going non-stop in Oklahoma. We did actually like Kansas, and we know there is a lot more to do and see.

Last week we stayed in a really fun RV park in Ardmore, OK.

There’s a large pond in the center of the park with kayaks, pedal boats and water slides. Manning and I were planning to go on a date to the Melting Pot and an escape room for his 13th birthday in March, but everything had just started shutting down at that time due to COVID-19 so I owed him a great date. We decided to play on the water one afternoon as our date, and we had an absolute blast!

I told him I’ll still take him the the Melting Pot when we get the opportunity as well.

We went on a walk almost every evening. The weather was nice, and we had a great view. We loved stopping by the koi pond to feed the fish.

We met some friends, the Pollards, about a year ago. They were our RV neighbors at a park in Texas. We went to visit them at their home in Oklahoma and had such a good time. Swimming, dinner, worship, milking a cow, lots of conversations and laughter.

Tuesday, we decided to drive to Turner Falls Park. Turner Falls is the largest waterfall in Oklahoma.

It did not disappoint! The whole park is gorgeous. There were pools of water and small waterfalls all around. Some people were swimming or wading in the water.

We did not swim because all kids ages 12 and under were required to wear flotation devices if swimming. We don’t own flotation devices for our older kids, so we decided to just wade in the water.

There is also a walk through castle that was built in 1930 at Turner Falls Park.

It was quite the hike up stairs to get to all the different parts of the castle, but we really enjoyed exploring it.

Once we passed through all parts of the castle, we went across a bridge and ended up above the large waterfall. It was awesome to look down on it.

Wednesday, we wrapped up our time in Oklahoma by meeting some friends at the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City. We went to church with the Fords for years in Texas before they moved to Oklahoma. We were all really excited to see them, and we had a great time!

The museum is really neat. There are all sorts of Western art and artifacts displayed. It’s a huge museum with a huge parking lot. There were only two other small groups of people there, though, we assume because of COVID-19. That was nice for us, as we were hardly in contact with people but still got to enjoy the museum mask-free.

There’s a great outdoor area with a playground and different types of teepees and houses to explore.

We all really enjoyed the museum, and we especially enjoyed hanging with friends.

We spent our last week in Texas getting all sorts of practical things done and visiting family and friends.

We stayed at Aggieland RV Park in Bryan, TX for a week. It was small and nice. The pool was empty most of the time, so we enjoyed swimming. And we enjoyed going on a walk most every evening.

Dr. Suarez, our doctor who delivered four of our babies and is our family doctor came to our RV to do some check-ups. That was unique and fun!

We visited my aunt and uncle. We were all excited to see Aunt Sara, as we hadn’t seen her since she went to Disney World with us in January.

We took Bravely to her eye appointment at Texas Children’s, and she got a new prescription. She is severely far-sighted. She’ll be getting some new cute mustard yellow glasses in the mail soon.

We got to hang out with our old pastors and close friends, Villard and Diane. We are so happy every time we get to be with them.

There are all sorts of beliefs about the coronavirus, as you know. We are somewhere in the middle when it comes to how we are dealing with it. We are cautious about being in public and specifically in crowds. We are starting to get out more, though, and mostly we feel comfortable getting together with family and friends. We have canceled a couple get-togethers with ones who’ve had fever or been in contact with someone who’s tested positive for the coronavirus. We have picked up food but haven’t eaten in a restaurant yet, mostly because our family size is too large to comply with current regulations in most states. The theme of this season is flexibility. We are making some plans and adjusting and changing plans as needed.

After our week in Bryan, we headed to Terrell (near Dallas) for a couple nights.

We went over to my childhood best friend’s house to hang out with her, her husband and daughter. Sheila and I met and were neighbors as babies. We grew up together and graduated high school together.

Our kids had so much fun together…swimming, jumping, movies, tiny cake-baking and decorating and making pizzas!

Cooking is not my strong suit, so I was so glad our kids got some lessons with Sheila – ha!

Our friends, Mel and Debbie, met up with us and stayed a night in Terrell as they were passing through. We didn’t tell the kids, so it was a fun surprise!

Mel took the kids fishing, which they loved.

River is terrified of dogs, so we are always working with her trying to get her to warm up to them. She’s come a long way in the past six months.

This ended our time in Texas. The next morning we started our drive to Oklahoma. We are back on the road once again, and though it’s quite different with all that’s going on, it feels good. Rolling by the dozen.

We spent the past seven weeks with Lolli and Pop while quarantined. We enjoyed spending time with them. Many games were played, books read, meals cooked, songs sung, bikes rode and masks sewed. It was sad to say goodbye, but exciting to head back out with our home on wheels yesterday.

We are now back close to our hometown for a couple weeks, staying at our favorite spot on Lake Somerville in Texas. Then we plan to head north for the summer.

Today, we celebrated Treasure’s 5th birthday.

She had a donut stack with candles for breakfast.

We read her what we had each written her in her journal, and she opened gifts.

We went for a walk around the lake.

Then the rain started pouring down just after some friends arrived. We had planned to grill hot dogs and roast marshmallows for s’mores. We improved by picking up pizza and microwaving s’mores.

All-in-all, it was a great day!

Happy 5th birthday, Treasure Bliss!

Girl, you are just so much fun! You have so much energy, zeal and spunk. You have a motivation and a determination in you that causes you to accomplish most anything you set out to do. Because you were determined, you learned to ride a bike without training wheels far earlier than any of your older siblings. You love to climb high, ride fast and choose the most adventurous option. I often find myself saying, “Oooh Treasure, that’s awesome but please be careful!” You play hard from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. You very rarely sit still. You have a vibrant loud voice. You have a blast playing with your brothers and sisters. You enjoy playing most anything – outside or inside. You love playing games and are really good at understanding many games at your age. You most always have a smile on your face and laughter coming from your mouth. You live for fun, and you spread that fun everywhere you are. Lolli says you are a little Kristin, a lot like your momma. I sure do love you, and I am so happy I get to be your mommy! You are an awesome, one-of-a-kind daughter who brings a big smile to my face every single day! 💗☀️

There is something really great that’s happened over the years. Being openly real, vulnerable and honest has become popular. None of us like fake, and we all appreciate real.

In my opinion, though, at times we overly project our flaws, failures, dislikes, pet-peeves, imperfections of ourselves, our family members and our relationships in an attempt to be real. It is almost a sin to say or believed a lie if a woman says she is happy in her marriage, adores her kids or enjoys something that many people do not.

I think being vulnerable about my weaknesses and allowing people to see and know me in a deep and more whole way is important. I, also, believe the best relationships are created through vulnerability. AND I believe it is ok to love certain aspects of life and to share those parts as well. If I only share my flaws, frustrations and fears, I am not sharing a large part of myself.

All that to say…I LOVE being a mom! Specifically a mom to Manning, Rhythm, Tapestry, Cherish, Liberty, Jubilee, Mercy, Treasure, River and Bravely. I smile and laugh so many times a day being surrounded by all these unique, precious and fun personalities in each of our kids. I, also, cry, get angry, feel inadequate, don’t know how to handle certain situations, and often question if I am making the best choice. Our kids sometimes have negative attitudes, have fears, and have issues along the way that we do our best to work through. Also, our kids are fun, smart, cute, funny, creative and precious. We have great conversations. We play a lot of games. We all enjoy music. We like going on walks. We all love new adventures. We bicker, we laugh, we cry, we love.

I could have never dreamed of having the life I have. When I say that, I don’t mean it’s a fairy-tale. I have lived through so many hard times, seasons and moments. Everyday something is difficult. Nothing goes as planned ever (EVER) in a family of twelve, but we have to plan or absolutely nothing would ever get accomplished. I used to dissect myself to death. I picked apart my every flaw and perceived failure. I loved my kids with all my heart, but I did not feel like a good mom. I was too imperfect and I couldn’t keep my kids always happy and at peace. I still struggle, more mildly, with these thoughts and feelings, and I cannot honestly say that I believe I am a good mom or a bad mom. But, ultimately, I have come to accept that regardless of good or bad, I am a mom who loves my children more than I could possibly express. I genuinely enjoy them. I truly see each one as utterly precious. I would do most anything to show my kids love. Sometimes that is a spoken, “I love you so much.” Sometimes it’s a “no” or discipline, which is hard but coming from so much love. Sometimes it’s a conversation, just listening, a walk, a game played, a life-lesson taught, a prayer, an encouraging or validating word or a big-ole hug.

I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a Jesus-lover. I like to work and bring in money in some way even though my husband is happy to fully provide. I enjoy design, organization and restoring old things to new. I like talking, writing and expressing myself deeply and vulnerably. I love offering hope to the hopeless, being a friend to the friendless and noticing the unnoticed. I am also a mom. Of all that I am and all that I do, truly being a mom is one of the absolute greatest joys of my life. And it is one of the most precious gifts I’ve ever been given.

I am sensitive in knowing that Mother’s Day is not happy, easy or good for everyone or in all seasons. It’s a hard day for those who’ve lost a mom or a child. It’s devastating for those who’ve wanted to become a mom so badly, and it hasn’t happened. It’s difficult for those who have strained relationships with their mom or child. It is painful for those with a mom who has never been there, whether physically or emotionally. It’s gutting for those who’ve been neglected or abused by a mom. It’s sad and even heartbreaking for moms who feel they’ve failed their child or children. If any of these are you, I pray you know that you are loved today. That there is hope for today and for the future. There is possibility of and hope for restored relationships, even in the most broken or damaged ones. And there is light in the darkness.

And there are moms who never thought they’d get to be a mom, but it happened. There are people who didn’t think they’d have another year with their mom or their child, but they did. There are those who have restored relationships. Those who do have kids, and who are just really thankful for them. If that’s you, today is a good day. Soak it up, know you, too, are loved, and be blessed with a very happy Mother’s Day.

Four years ago, on Easter morning, we woke up and got dressed in pretty dresses and button down shirts. We were visiting Lolli and Pop and had enjoyed Easter egg hunting, good food and fun with cousins the day before. Ryan and I gathered our kids and went outside to take Easter photos before heading to church on that Easter morning. When we finished the photos, an unexpected darkness hit hard.

My dad couldn’t breathe well. He was struggling to get a breath. We called an ambulance and tried not to panic as we waited. My dad grabbed my hand and told me several times that he wasn’t going to make it, but I refused to say goodbye. I boldly and firmly responded, “Yes you are, you are going to make it!” I honestly didn’t know if he would or not, but hope was all I had and the best thing I could think of to give to him. We watched and prayed and held his hands as he struggled more and more to breathe, and just as the ambulance arrived he passed out. I ran outside and yelled, begging for the EMS workers to hurry.

My mom, brother and I followed the ambulance to the hospital. There my dad’s heart stopped for 2 minutes, but they got him back. They intubated him and stuck tubes in his sides in attempt to drain fluid off his body. I paced the lobby of the hospital repeating Psalm 118:17 over and over again, “He will not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. He will not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. He will not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” I pleaded with God, “Don’t let him go out like this. Let him live and have long days of life on earth. Don’t let it happen like this.”

My dad had smoked and drank quite a bit, and he knew he hadn’t been good to his body. He had deep regret even as he was struggling to breathe that morning. He kept saying, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, little girl.” I didn’t want him to leave this earth in that way. I desperately wanted him to experience freedom in this life, not just in Heaven.

He was in the hospital for about a month, transferred to two other hospitals in that timeframe. He was intubated for 17 days and heavily sedated during that time. Most days the doctors and nurses didn’t offer much hope. Other days, we saw a glimmer of light.

Doctors tried numerous times to get my dad off the vent with no success. He wasn’t able to breathe on his own. The day he finally got extubated and was able to breathe with just the assistance of nasal oxygen, all that hope we’d clung to came alive. My heart happy-danced all day long.

And then, there was the day my dad got to leave the hospital. He was one happy and free man! Today he is living life as healthy as he can…no smoking, no drinking and he’s watching what he eats. He is grateful for each day of life, and we are thankful for each day, week, month and year we get to spend with him.

There is so much uncertainty in our world today. Darkness has fallen onto the lives of so many. There are some who are bothered by not getting to socially do what they love to do, not getting to visit family or friends, not being able to buy groceries or toiletries they’d normally buy. There are people who’ve lost jobs, have slow business or no business, people who have no income coming in. Some are essential workers, overwhelmed by the demand of want and need. Some are doctors or nurses, braving saving the lives of others with fear and uncertainty about their own lives. Some are watching family member’s breath slowly fade away, not sure if that breath will return. There are people who are elated, seeing a loved one able to breathe again and come back home. And there are others not even getting to sit with a loved one as life fades from this one into the next, not getting to say goodbye, or offer hope or have the closure anyone would want.

The corona virus, COVID-19, has brought a weightiness, a sadness and a gloom of hopelessness into our world.

Hearing that Jesus is hope when you are watching your loved one fade away is not easy to hear or receive. Hearing that God provides when you have no work is hard to hear. Receiving that there is hope when all you feel is despair is not easy. The church has hurt people at times, many times. Sometimes the church responds poorly to hurting people, to disaster and to pandemics. I have been deeply hurt in the church and by Christian friends. And I have hurt others in the church. I am sorry if the church has hurt you. I am sorry if Christians have hurt you. I am sorry if religion has hurt you. And I am sorry if I have hurt you.

Of one thing I am certain, and in it I find great hope. It is the enemy who comes to kill, steal and destroy. And it is our God who comes to comfort the broken-hearted, to save, to heal, to love and to free. He is here, bringing light in the darkness. Maybe you can’t see it yet, maybe you are struggling to hope. I pray that whatever situation you are in, wherever you find yourself, that you would begin to see His light break through for YOU – your body, your family, your friends, your finances, your depression, your hopelessness, your fear, your pain. He loves you deeply and dearly, and He will come through for you.

Yesterday, we were missing cousins, but we had a fun egg hunt. This morning, we woke up and got dressed in nice clothes. We went outside to take some photos. We came in and all sat down in the living room to watch church on TV with Lolli and Pop. 🌤

While we were in Tennessee, we visited the Stones River National Battlefield.

It is a historic 570-acre park and cemetery with a visitor’s center and marked trails along the Civil War battlefield.

We went just as some places were starting to close due to the corona virus. The visitor’s center was closed, but we were welcomed to tour the grounds.

We went with our friends, Mel and Debbie. Mel was the perfect history teacher. Our older kids enjoyed learning all about the Battle of Stones River.

We walked through the cemetery. This is the second cemetery we’ve gone to with our kids outside of funerals of family members. Cemeteries can feel scary, sad or intimidating, but our kids have become more comfortable. They respect the lives lived, and they like reading about different people and thinking about what their lives may have been like. Here they enjoyed finding people who shared a birthday with them.

Checking out different cannons was a big hit.

We all appreciated learning about the battle and thinking about what it would have been like to have been a part of it.

When we left the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, we headed to Nashville, TN. It was so sad seeing so much tornado devastation as we were driving into Nashville. I have personally experienced the destruction of a tornado, as a tree came crashing into my bedroom as a child, but I have never seen damage as bad as we saw in Nashville.

We absolutely love Nashville, and it is a place I personally cherish. When I was 20 years old, I was stuck in a pit of hopelessness and despair. About 5 years earlier, I developed an eating disorder. As an addiction, it took control of my life. No matter how much I wanted, prayed and pleaded to be free from the eating disorder, I couldn’t seem to find the way out. The longer I lived with the eating disorder, the more guilt and shame I felt, and the more depressed I became. At my lowest, rock bottom, I heard of a place called Mercy Ministries (now called Mercy Multiplied). At the time, it was known as a home for troubled girls. I thought, “I just have this eating disorder I need help with, but I am not a troubled girl.” Ha. Oh, how little did I know or understand.

I promised a friend I’d pray about going, so I did. I prayed, “God, I am not going. If you want me to go, please change my mind.” I spent the next couple hours searching every bit of Mercy’s website, and by the end of my search, I was determined to go. I read testimony after testimony of girls and women being set free from addictions, childhood trauma and other things. I just knew in my gut that if I got to go to this place, God would set me free.

I went through the application process, was accepted and was placed on a waiting list. Mercy Multiplied is a free-of-charge residential counseling program that helps young women ages 13-32 break free from life-controlling issues and situations. It was hard waiting, but after four months I got a call that there was a spot for me.

I walked through the doors of Mercy’s beautiful Nashville home a very insecure, depressed, broken down girl. I spent the next most impactful six months of my life there. I learned that eating disorders have roots and that I had to deal with the root in order to overcome it. We all have childhood pain that is so easy to carry into adulthood in various ways if not recognized. I fearfully and vulnerably opened up my life, my past, my present and my pain. I let God heal me. I realized that I was a very troubled girl AND that I was a very loved girl. In my darkest places, in my pain, in my own regretful poor decisions and in my hopelessness, God loved me. ME. Even me. As much as I already knew He loved me, this really blew my mind and wrecked my heart in the best kind of way.

I spent those six months learning what God thinks of me, how to renew my mind, how to go to God with my pain rather than addiction, why it’s important to forgive, how to receive healing…and then doing those things. I got to know some of the most precious women, many of who I still consider dear friends today. I began experiencing so much joy during that season, I could hardly contain it. I loved life and living. And I had hope. A deep-rooted hope.

I walked out of the doors of Mercy a bold, free, healed and whole woman. The theme of my heart at that time was 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” And still, this is the theme of my life and the song of my heart.

As I’ve lived more life, I have needed more healing and wholeness along the way. I have experienced the pain of life – pain inflicted by others, pain over choices I wish I’d made differently, pain of loss, pain of unfulfilled dreams. But that deep-rooted hope God instilled in me during my time at Mercy has remained, and I’m so thankful to have tools to use for moving forward through difficult situations. Not that it’s ever easy, but I am forever grateful nonetheless.

While we were in Nashville, we visited Mercy Multiplied. We just love Nancy Alcorn, the founder of Mercy Multiplied. I was so happy to see her and introduce her to our kids she had not yet met. Of course, she was especially excited to meet our 6-year-old daughter, Mercy, who I was pregnant with last time we visited.

We toured the corporate office and the home where I lived over 16 years ago. The memories of freedom, healing and discovering how deeply loved by God I am flooded me and brought great joy to my soul. We got to meet some of the current residents, and I couldn’t help but smile so big knowing the beauty they’d experience and the great hope each has for her present and future.

Mercy Multiplied is so near and dear to my heart, and I love that the mercy I experienced at Mercy Multiplied gets to be multiplied right before my eyes everyday in my children. ♥️

Well, we decided to head back to Texas during this time of lockdowns and social distancing. It was hard deciding if we should just stay put for awhile in Tennessee or if we should head back to Texas. We did not want to catch or spread the corona virus, and ultimately we decided it may be best to stay with Lolli and Pop, my parents, for awhile. We made it back to Texas on Sunday, and we are enjoying spending time with Lolli and Pop. We do plan to travel again – when the time seems right. For now, I will blog about some of our adventures we had before we got here, and I will blog about some of our daily life while we stay put. I hope you are safe, provided for and have or find peace during this uncertain time! ♥️

Yesterday we celebrated Liberty’s 9th birthday! She has been waiting and waiting for her 9th birthday, the day she had planned to get her ears pierced.

I warned her about a week ago that malls would likely be closed down and that she may have to wait awhile to get her ears pierced. She embraced the situation with a great attitude and had a very fun day at Lolli & Pop’s.

We started the morning by making biscuits and doing a biscuit stack rather than our traditional donut stack. Liberty loved helping make the biscuits, and she thought they were a yummy alternative to donuts.

After breakfast, Liberty read what each of us wrote her in her journal, and she opened gifts. We gave her a collection of things we had snuck and purchased along the way while traveling.

Liberty and I went on a walk, where I asked her tons of questions like, “What do you want to do when you grow up?”, “What kind of guy do you hope to marry?”, “If you could add color to your hair, what color would you pick?” Then, Liberty and I played a card game, Five Crowns.

Lolli gave Liberty a choice of what she wanted her to cook for dinner. Liberty chose wings, fries and salad. And we had iced butterfly cookies for dessert… a perfect representation of Liberty.

Yesterday evening we played a really fun card game called Scum. It is a great game for a large number of players.

Liberty had a great birthday, and we had a great day celebrating her!

Happy 9th birthday, Liberty Pearl! You have such a great personality. You are funny and fun. You easily entertain, and you are able to cause almost anyone to burst into laughter. You are very diligent and disciplined in school, chores and tasks. You motivate others to stick to a routine and to get things done that they planned to do. You are a dreamer and a doer. I often find you hanging out in the loft reading a book or memorizing bible verses. You are brave and secure. I love hearing you sing solo the first verse of “You Say” boldly in front of people. For so long you hoped and wished to be old enough to tote a baby sister around on your hip. Finally, we have let you do that with Bravely. You absolutely love holding her and caretaking her, and you are great at it. You are a sweet, fun little sister and friend to your older sisters and brothers. And you are a fun, entertaining big sister to your little sisters. You are a really good friend, and you have quite the slew of best friends. You add cheer and laughter everywhere you go. You are easy to parent, you are cheerfully obedient and you set a great example of having a good attitude no matter your circumstances. I sure do love you, and I am so very happy you are my girl! 💜