After quite a monumental year, the celebration of another birthday comes with the reminder that another year of life with you is truly a gift! When you turned 10 last year, we could've never imagined what the coming year would entail. Life was moving along at its insanely fast speed and you were continuing to grow and change right before our eyes. Sometimes it's hard to remember when you were our crankiest and chubbiest little baby. It's hard to remember when you were our "spirited" toddler or our energetic preschooler. You jumped into being a school-aged kid and we blinked. Suddenly, you were in intermediate school. You were growing, maturing, and changing...sometimes so quickly that we didn't even have a chance to notice it. Then came the infamous 2020. Life slowed down so much that we finally had a chance to pay closer attention to the things that matter the most. Sure, there were a lot of challenges that came with this year, but the biggest blessing was the chance to soak in more time with those we love, especially you!
This year, we watched you give up a lot of what you loved. Tumbling, softball, church, Girl Scouts, friends, and so much more were put on hold. The family road-trip for this year was one that you had been looking forward to for years...Washington DC. School, where you love to learn, but love to socialize even more, was nothing like you'd ever experienced. In true Leah fashion, however, you took it all in stride. You are a glass half-full-kid and find a way to see the positive in everything. Anytime others would find something to complain about, you would add in your two cents and see something to be thankful for. You outwardly expressed your appreciation for the simple things....more family dinners, taking more walks and bike rides, zoom calls with friends or your Girl Scout troop that would last for hours and were filled with constant giggles, revised travel plans like our awesome trip to the Smokey Mountains, and so much more. When so many others have claimed that 2020 was the worst year yet, you labeled many parts of it as the best ever!
And the truth is, you aren't too far off. Thankfully our family hasn't faced any terrible hardships this year. We would venture to say that we've gained more than we've lost. Having more time to watch you grow is a gift we didn't know we needed. We have always known that you are kind hearted to the core, but we've been able to witness countless examples of that this year. You loved going the extra mile to make cards or give gifts to people who were facing struggles. When we got involved with the local Black Lives Matter protest, you asked such deep and thought provoking questions...showing just how much of a passion you have for those living in the margins. When you saw anyone at home reaching their breaking point after days turned into weeks turned into months of living our new normal, you tried to step in and do whatever you could to help. You were the best person in our family at keeping connected to others...thanks mostly to the Messenger Kids app. You were constantly reaching out to friends, Grandma, Nana Pam, and anyone else that you could stay in touch with. And, after months of praying for our loved ones to stay safe and not get Covid, you watched both parents come down with this nasty virus. There was definitely a sense of worry, but you put that aside and became the best helper you could. A hundred times a day, you would walk past our room and ask how we were feeling. When we had to step out of the parental role for a bit, you stepped in...taking charge and keeping your brothers in line like a champ. You've always had motherly instincts, and this was your time to shine!
Indeed, your kindness and positivity are traits that you always had, but have only grown stronger in this year. Those traits have been such a blessing to us and to so many more. When our family was stuck at home on quarantine due to Covid hitting our house, your teachers expressed just how much they missed having you in class. To your teachers and classmates, you're known as a friend to all, a leader, and a hard worker. The example you set for others is one that makes your teachers (and us) proud. Sometimes you just don't see it in yourself, and your confidence is often lacking, but you are amazing. When school plans switched for what felt like the hundredth time, we felt that it was important for you too keep your same teachers, but that meant that your classmates would be changing. You had to be placed into the gifted class, and although your standardized test scores never allowed you to be in those classes, your work ethic has proven otherwise. Your teachers have all expressed their thoughts on how shocked they are that you weren't always in these classes. It is slowly becoming clearer to you that you are capable or more than you think, but more than anything, you're just thrilled to be in class with so many of your closest friends!
For the past 11 years, our lives have been so much better and brighter with you in it. God knew just what he was doing when he placed you in our family. On the day you were born, He probably smiled as He thought ahead to the year 2020, knowing that your greatest qualities would be exactly what our family needed to get through this year. We've always been thankful for the gift of your life, but even more so this year! We cannot wait to see what new adventures will come your way this year. One thing is for sure...you will live each day to the fullest, with more gratitude than most, like you have every single day since the day you were born!
Love,
Dad and Mom
