Here's to our Miss Madeleine, turning 14!  The morning started (like last year) with a visit from 7 of her friends, who woke her up, brought breakfast and birthday cheer, and dressed her up in crazy clothes. (No pictures, since I was doing the seminary run at the time...) Today will bring a mother/daughter lunch date, party tonight, new cell phone (14 being the magic age in our house) and more celebrating tomorrow with a birthday breakfast and later a church dance.  Bring it on, 14!

We're lucky to have Maddy in our lives. She's a vivacious, curious, cheerful, willing, observant, engaged, enthusiastic, smart, hard-working gal.  She's also a deep thinker (and worrier) and feeler. When she was three and I was tucking her and Lauren into bed, I asked them what we should do: song? read a story?  Maddy piped up "Let's talk about our feelings!"  Classic Maddy.

Happy birthday, Maddy girl! 

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thankful for: being a mother, sweater weather, listening to great podcasts (The Moth, This American Life)