T E N

 This pretty young lady is TEN now. 

 I am not sure how Amana is ten, since I gave birth to her only a few years ago.  But, alas, ten she is.  I am certain that I am not the only mom who views  hitting  10 to be a really big milestone.  There seems to be something significant about being a decade.  There is some unspoken understanding that little girl things must be put away and womanly things must be looked into. We aren't just throwing her to the wolves now that she is ten.  Lige and I have worked really hard to protect her "little girlness," and I am so happy that we have.  We will continue to do so, even as we open up the world to her more and more.  I sense her longing for more responsibility and broader experiences.  And we are collaborating together as to what those new, exciting experiences will look like.

 Amana loves to read and devours books.  Grandma Susan gave us an entire Scholastic library last year, and Amana has been joyfully burning through the books.  As a woman from a long line of well-read women, this attribute of Amana delights my heart.

 Amana is creative in many ways.  After all her birthday gifts were open, Lige and I had fun discussing all her creative avenues.  1.  She received her own baking/cooking set including mixing bowls, measuring cups, spoons, muffin tin, and cookie cook book.  2.  Another gift included an easel, paint pallet, brushes, tubes of paint, and canvases.  She jumped up and down in excitement as she opened her easel.   3.  And from Mommy and Daddy she received a new camera and camera bag.  She loves to take pictures and has such a fun and interesting perspective.  She will be attending a special photography class at the zoo this summer. (One of those new, broader experiences I mentioned above.)

Amana really wanted an "art" cake and this is what I came up with.  She was happy, and that was all I could hope for!

Things to remember about Amana at TEN:

You love to cook and bake.  Whether macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, muffins, or simple sandwiches-if it takes place in the kitchen, you are there to make it happen!

You love to help with Lucy...but only when you want to!  More and more you are desiring time to yourself, without having to have your littlest sister tag along.  However, there are plenty of times when you take her to play, much to your tiny sister's delight.

While still timid, you are getting braver in new situations.  Where a few years ago you might have shed a few tears at the beginning of a new experience, today you march bravely and excitedly toward.

You are a good friend.  And since we homeschool, you've had to work harder to make and keep them.  You are a generous friend, always wanting to share of your time and your talents and even of  your gifts.

You love Jesus, and not just a little bit.  You wake early on your own to spend time reading your bible.  You understand that when you hurt others and seek forgiveness that you need to seek the Lord's forgiveness too.  You sing praise songs with your whole heart, and your love and joy and hope radiate out of your sweet face as you sing.

I love you so much, sweet girl.  Happy TENTH Birthday!