if you can grab a circle in your hands and twist it, that's an 8

Are we there already?? Eight? How can that be? 

Remember when she was like this?

Or this?

And now she's like this???

It's true. My lovely baby, my youngest is eight. As she says, it's the first of the Big Kid ages. Sigh. Big Kid.

Her day was filled with all of the family celebrations that come with birthdays around here - Dutch Baby at breakfast for the Queen in her chair, our round-the-sun ritual with photos of her at every age, presents and many changes of clothes, snuggles, cooking of cakes, and anticipation of a family potluck to top it all off! Happy day for a happy girl.  

I love this big girl. Our unapologetic, confident, present, imaginative, story-telling, beautiful and vibrant girl.  She is curious, she is a thinker, she loves words and word play.  She still snuggles like a baby and sometimes wishes her legs weren't quite so long.  She is stubborn and will reason her point endlessly and is slow to relinquish a point when she feels she's being wronged. She is a conversationalist and a fast friend, and she will play for hours on her own, acting out stories with whatever objects at hand can become animate in her hands.  I was a part of a conversation with friends during the party; they were talking about having Ani over, and how she keeps them informed of her every thought, feeling that it must be as important to them as it is to her.  This tendancy to narrate everything, aloud, can be an admittedly trying trait for the people who live with her, but it is at the same time the outward glimpse of her most defining characteristic - her deep belief that she has a right to be here in the world, that she is important and belongs.  Can you imagine where she will go in life with that backbone? I can't wait to find out.

Happy Birthday, Ms. Thistle!!

mouth full o' sushi

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For you readers who are here often, yes! I am back in the country! Only just, and I am trying to catch up with my family, catch up on my sleep, and begin to process the things I saw and learned and experienced on my trip, in that order.  I want very much to share, and I want to do it right, so it may take me a little while to work on it...two thousand-some photos, and 9 very packed days! Oof. I seem to be experiencing a little culture shock, which I didn't know was even possible from such a short trip, but it was one of those trips that expands the little world you know and it will never be quite the same...For as discombobulating as that is, I am full of gratitude that I was able to go, that I went with the companions I went with (my mama, and 9 other beautiful women), that we connected with the gracious, passionate and articulate people we met, that I have new things pushing the limits of my heart and my imagination, more of the world to hold.  To be continued...