Lucy's birthday

I read a book once that overused the word "poignant" atrociously. So I refuse to use it, even in reference to how I felt watching my firstborn turn 8 last week. It FELT . . . insert a synonym to the "p" word here . . . to realize how much she's grown up. A lot of you have been there, and know how it feels, so enough said.

8 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT LU-LU-LU-LU

1. She shares my love of reading and trips to the library. I know exactly how it feels to get lost in a new world and want to stay there for awhile. We'll go to our first Mother-Daughter book club at the library in a few weeks!

2. Her smile could blind you, it's so bright. A few years ago, she turned to me, smiled and said, "Mom, am I glowing? Because I feel like I am."

3. She wears her heart on her sleeve. As we left AZ a few weeks ago, she sadly reported, "Mom, I miss my cousins ALREADY! When are we coming back?" When I took her to see HSM3, there was a sad part, and I heard her sniffling. I turned to see her wiping her eyes on her shirt as she sobbed. She's giggly and goofy and smiley and happy and sad and mad and earnest and thoughtful.

4. She is interested in everything! She loves piano and gymnastics and spiders and movies and books and racing and playing and homework and projects and math and riddles and computers and music. We never lack for conversation with Lucy around.

5. She currently wants to work with horses when she grows up. She's been researching all kinds of jobs you can have with horses. Right now it's a toss up between a horse-policewoman and working on a ranch.

6. She often gets "full" after 3 bites. The food she loves, she LOVES. The food she doesn't love . . . well, it would take all day to list them here. Someday that girl is going to go on a mission and have to eat food she hates just to be polite. Until then, we'll keep encouraging her to try new things.

7. She's adventurous (except when it comes to food). She has no hesitations trying new things, going new places, meeting new people (usually), or imagining new worlds. Her dearest wish is to go to Hawaii someday--even more than Disneyland.

8. She's tender hearted. (See #3) She also tries hard to do the right thing, to help out, to read her scriptures and say her prayers, to be her best self, and to try again when things don't always work out.

I love my little girl. HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY, LUCY-LU!