{ Brooke’s 11th Birthday }

I don’t know when this girl decided that she was going to get all grown up on me, but I feel like I have blinked and she has.

In our efforts to try to make it a little bit of a party even though I was still trying to take it easy after Ethan being born, Aaron took Brooke out to breakfast at Chick-filet, then rented some really fun games from down on Ft. Benning. There was a life sized Connect Four game and a big Jenga game. The kids had fun trying to beat each other on them, and then had fun building big towers out of the blocks. After we let her open her presents, Aaron took the kids swimming and then we had some late night cake afterwards.

    

    

 

Brooke has been looking forward to her birthday for weeks-everyday asking me why she couldn’t have been born on March 25? or 26th? or 29th? or the 1st? Anything to make that birthday come a little bit sooner. She made a birthday list Brooke style-meaning a couple of drafts until the writing was exactly written perfect, a draft typed out on the computer and printed out, and then put in a page protector and hung on the bulletin board in the hallway. There may have also been a couple of notes left for me too, just to make sure that I was absolutely sure that I knew what she wanted. I did. It involved LOTS of American Girl doll outfits and accessories to go with her new doll that she got for Christmas.

  

    

11 Things We Love About Brooke at 11

• Your quirky sense of humor
• The way you do your jobs without being asked
• Your beautiful singing voice
• The way that you love to organize everything
• I love seeing you get your scriptures out to read and being dedicated in doing your Faith in God book goals
• You are hands down our best diaper changer around this place!
• Your pretty smile (when you don’t get shy and give us a big teeth grin, it’s so beautiful)
• The way you take Scott under your wing and do crafts with him or organize your stuff together
• The honest and meek way you bear your testimony to us-it always makes me feel the spirit so strong
• You are super creative and are always coming up with cute little things that you have made out of almost nothing. If you can’t find something to fit your needs-you make it!
• Your super sincere hugs. You aren’t a real touchy feely person, but when you give us hugs and kisses they sure are strong ones from deep down. I love those hugs so much!

We love you Brooke! Happy Birthday!