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A Fine Nine

Dear Ane,

It’s time once again for me to write you another birthday letter.  First of all, happy 9th birthday to my only daughter.  You will soon be really outnumbered, but you will always be the oldest.

This year has been an up-and-down one for you.  You’ve had some big highs and some deep lows.  I see adolescence ahead on the horizon and oh, my, can I just say that I’m not looking forward to that?  You have always been my “perceiver” – you see the world in terms of black and white.  If you think something is unfair, wrong, unequal, unjust – you have no hesitation in letting me know it.  I think we need to address yet again the important life lessons we learn while watching The Princess BrideLife is not fair.  And no matter how hard I may or may not try, I can never make it fair.

No, it is not fair that our lives revolve heavily around your brother Tad and his needs.  We try to compensate for that in other ways, but you are right – it’s just unfair.  Sorry.  We play the hand we’re dealt, kid.  You have your very mature moments of comprehension regarding this – when you worry about what the future will hold for him, or when you ask me if you will have to take care of him someday, and I try to answer you as honestly as possible when those moments come.  Believe me when I tell you that if my lack of a concrete answer bothers you, it bothers your father and me even more.  But then, you have those moments where your relationship with your brother devolves into a simple screaming match of “stop touching me!”  And I know you don’t hate him.  I just know that you feel that way when you say it.  Life isn’t fair.  You just had to learn that a LOT sooner than many of your friends have.

It’s been a hard year in other ways, too – you’ve had friends move away or drift away, and you’ve wanted to hang on more tightly to those you love because of that.  And still, you are your father’s daughter, making friends of all ages wherever you go.  We get no end of compliments on how wonderful and helpful you are at church.  I wish more of that behavior followed us home, so I promise to give you more opportunities to be helpful, especially once your newest baby brother shows up.

You are doing so wonderfully in school, even when you don’t believe you are.  Trust me, you are.  When you “get” a concept in math, it stays with you always.  You just have to believe that you CAN get those concepts.  Nothing is too difficult for you to learn if you really put your mind to it to try.  You don’t remember what a fuss you made about learning to read.  And now you have to be told to turn off your lights and go to bed and stop reading… which sounds oddly familiar to me.

Ane, you are such a fun blend of both me and your dad.  We like to point fingers at each other and say “she gets that from YOU” all the time.  Thank you for picking us as your parents nine years ago today.  You truly are the joy of our hearts.  And I love you right to the bottom of mine.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”  Psalm 28:7

Happy 9th Birthday!

Love,
Mom

4 Responses to “A Fine Nine”

  1. secha
    December 27th, 2012 03:52
    1

    Happy Birthday, Ane! I hope you have a wonderful day 🙂

  2. Ressis
    December 27th, 2012 06:45
    2

    Happy birthday, Ane! We love you and miss you so much!

  3. Nana & Papa
    December 27th, 2012 07:26
    3

    Happy Birthday to our Best (and Only!) Granddaughter 🙂

  4. linda
    December 27th, 2012 08:48
    4

    Happy 9th Birthday, Ane!
    You are a Blessing to us with every Blog!
    We send you Big Hugs!