.maya turns eleven.

My amazing girl. This will be a birthday to remember. The day before you turned 11, we climbed a beautiful mountain as the sun went down. You wore this gorgeous burnt orange jumper we scored at Value Village, and the sun lit your hair into a stunning, almost celestial halo. You, my girl, are a bright, bright light and I cannot imagine a backdrop more fitting to mark the gift of another year with you.

The week of your birthday was probably one of the most bizarre weeks we have ever experienced and brought drastic changes to our plans, routines and expectations. And, while you are so excited to be getting a head start on home-schooling, you are also unsettled by strangeness of it all; you cling a little tighter and check in a little more often. You are very aware of the vast array of emotions that we have gone through in our home this week. It partly makes me proud of your perceptiveness and empathy, but it also makes me sad that I can't better hide my own struggles from you and your sisters. Inevitably, you being you, take on all the feelings of everyone, and so, my precious daughter, we must learn and grow together. We talked as a family, with bibles and hot drinks (that you prepared) this morning. We talked about how we are all experiencing grief and fear in some way over this silly virus and all its implications. We talked about how this can show up as anger, irritability, tears, and just general bad attitudes. We talked about how it was OK to feel these feelings, but it was not OK to set up camp, and stay in them. We talked about giving grace to one another as these feelings come and go - that sometimes you will be strong, and sometimes someone else will be. We talked about how God has a plan in this - in ALL of this - for our good, and His glory. My prayer is that through this time, BECAUSE of this time, that you will learn more about who you are, but more importantly about who HE is. That this will be a setting event in your life. That you will be able to declare confidently, that even in this, you have seen and tasted His goodness and His faithfulness.

We set up a plan and a loose schedule for coming days - the organization and order of it made you absolutely sparkle. Me too :) On the morning you turned eleven, you woke up and baked yourself a beautiful cake. Earl grey layers with German buttercream frosting and raspberry compote. I offered to help, or even bake it for you, but we both know how that would have turned out. We spent hours in the kitchen, you baking and me cooking. We watched baking shows, played clue as a family, went for a walk and played basketball, and soaked in a nice long snuggle. We both agreed that the isolation kind of worked in your favor and though the day felt a bit strange, it was indeed, perfect. Pretty much like the day you were born. The beginning of a new chapter.

Happy birthday my sweet one, I love you so.

May His Presence go before you
And Behind you,
And Beside you
All around you and within you
He is with you
He is with you
In the Morning, in the Evening
In your Coming
And your Going
In your Weeping and Rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you

From 'The Blessing' by Elevation Worship. Our current favorite song