I'm not sure how it happened, but we now have a 12 year old in our midst! Amana celebrated her 12th birthday last week. We started her festivities on Tuesday night with dinner at Hyvee Market Grille and a movie: Night at the Museum 3. We chose to do her dinner on Tuesday night because Lige and I had our Senior Banquet for our youth group on Wednesday evening. Amana didn't mind because it meant a longer celebration for her!
On her actual birthday, Wednesday, we opened presents and had cake over the lunch hour. That is something we've sort of started doing since Lige first started at the church and is able to come home for lunch. The kids love that they don't have to wait all day to open their gifts!
She's so lovely.
Daddy saved the day with the cake. He secretly baked it at the church and brought it home as a surprise at lunch. He did a great job baking and icing it. I had one of those Wilton frosting tubes on hand and quickly added some basic decorations. She was pleased and touched that her daddy went to all the trouble to make it for her.
Twelve but still so young at heart. :)
Harrison made Amana a bunch of drawings that he wrapped for her using an old doll blanket that was mine as a little girl.
Amana got a bunch of her own scrap-booking supplies. Since she loves photography so much, it made sense to have something to do will all those great pictures she takes.
Lige and I wanted to give Amana a special gift for turning twelve. Twelve feels so grown up in a lot of ways. We chose a special piece of jewelry: a diamond and emerald necklace. Emerald is her birthstone, and we knew she's been eying birthstone jewelry lately. We wanted something that was more grown-up looking, without being old lady-ish. Lige found the perfect piece while in Grand Island for a meeting. He had it wrapped and ready to go: which was a little hard on this mama! It had been my idea, and then I didn't even get to see what it looked like until Amana opened it! I was so happy to see he picked out exactly what I had been envisioning.
Amana sure loves it!
When Amana was placed in my arms for the very first time, it felt like I would have an eternity with her. Which the passing of each year, I have a keener sense that time is going quickly. Yes, I will always be her mom, and I think she'll always need me. I'm talking more about the tender years of bringing her up. If she were to graduate and head straight off to college at 18, that would mean I only have six fleeting years left with her to train and guide and love her in my home. It's sobering to think about. As she gets older and our relationship changes, there are so many things I want to teach her. So many things I want her to know. Even though it's a little frightening, it's also a good jolt to snap me into gear. I have six years. And if I use the time allotted for me wisely, with God's grace, I will be able to share all these secrets with her. I pray to be intentional. I pray to be flexible enough in my agenda to to push pause for teachable moments presented to me.
Sweet and precious Amana, as you grow in grace and beauty, I am awed by the gift that you are. I am so thankful that God chose me to be your mommy, your mom, your mother. Happy Birthday, dear one.
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