Ruby is 7

Dear Ruby,

You are SEVEN.  I feel this way with the change of every year, but it just sounds so...old!  I told you on your birthday that I remembered so clearly the day you were born - it was hard for me to believe that it was so long ago!

We celebrated with a pile of balloons and seven-shaped cinnamon rolls on your special day.  We also sent balloons and a teddy bear to be delivered to school.  You were so excited to go eat dinner at Texas Roadhouse (your pick!) so that you could sit on the saddle and they would sing to you!

 You have always had the kindest, most loving heart of anyone that I know.  I went to your parent/teacher conference at school a couple of weeks ago and listened to your teacher get emotional as she told me that she was inspired by you, that you would lay down your life for your friends and that you always put others' needs before your own.

I began to tear up as she spoke - I am just so proud of you.  And the timing of her telling me that she was inspired was quite ironic.  Days before, I had discovered a vivid and imaginative song you wrote about what it might be like to find yourself in Heaven and I cried my eyes out - just then, I told Daddy that it seems so humbling to be inspired by the heart of a (then) six year old.

You were absolutely made to be a big sister and you are the best at it!  You are so patient and eager to teach things to Eisley and Luca.  They adore you, and look up to you, and love you like crazy.

You are loving reading!  Currently, you are about 100 pages into Little House in the Big Woods - I hope you always soak up books like that.

You also really enjoy our family movie and game nights.  You love to help me in the kitchen, and you love to help out with most anything around the house.  You have recently decided that you want to learn to sew - I am so excited to watch your precious little heart grow big to carry so many things that you love.

I love you more than you could ever know - you are precious to us, and such a perfect gift! 

XOXO
Mama