Should have called her Joy!

Happy Birthday my sweet Olivia!

I look at Olivia and I see joy.  I see curiosity, I see helpfulness, I see a love for animals, I see a girl who loves to make things–just to make them, I see a need to be just who she is!

Olivia seeks truth and speaks it–even if it hurts the listener.  Olivia does what Olivia wants to do and she is willing to pay the price for not being a follower.

Olivia is organized, plans AND then gets everyone to follow her idea.  I remember when I had lunch duty and Joseph was in 2nd grade–Olivia created the slide game where she picked out who would go down and in what order–and they did it–happily.

I remember the moment I found out I was pregnant–I kept it a secret–partly out of fear (I did not want to lose another baby) and partly because I wanted to hold onto every single moment.  My fears quickly went away when I gave Eric his birthday present–a box that had a tiny piece of paper that said we were having another baby!  He was overjoyed and amazed that I could have kept it a secret.  I wore purple that pregnancy.  We bought the cabin that year and Eric spent 3 months in Japan and came home two weeks before she was born.

When Olivia was born she changed all our lives.  Charlotte had a best friend that she would discover in 6 years, Joseph had the playmate he always wanted and would discover that Olivia would help him, play with him and be a huge encouragement in 6 years,  Eric would find a baby that adored him and he couldn’t help stopping whatever he was doing for her (partly because she wouldn’t allow anything else but his full attention).  As I held my baby for the first time I had no idea that she would be so inspiring and provide others with the energy to continue the task at hand.  Olivia is equal amounts of peacefulness and intensity.

I am so blessed. She is so wonderfully made and Joy-filled. Maybe we should have called her Joy!

Thank you God for allowing me to raise up this beautiful girl to serve you.