Our Rylee is 9!

Monday is Rylee's Birthday.

First, Rylee is a comforter. I believe with all my heart that the Lord has uniquely gifted Rylee to bring is comfort to others. She just makes you feel better. Right now Ryder can't sleep unless he sleeps in Rylee's room. He says the he just feels closer to everybody when he is in her room. She is the one who will sit with you when you get hurt on the playground. She is the one that will listen while you retell your story. Doesn't everyone need compassion? In her listening and being with she is comforting.
"He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us." 1 Cor. 1:4

Rylee is fun! We call her the FUN FUN girl! She love to laugh and play. She is like her daddy in that way. Her laugh is infectious..her humor is on spot...what a joy to have her in our life. When she reads to me in the afternoon she make the story so interesting because she is in no hurry to get done so she makes it fun to listen to. Recently when Brian was at a college retreat for ISU he was telling about how she is so girly but also loves buger and fart jokes like a junior high boy. So, when Rylee went out to the retreat the next day this college boy kept farting in front of her to get her to laugh...she didn't according to her "because I don't even know him...I try to save that for people I know. We are so glad she is the life of our party.
"Laugh with your happy friends when they are happy; share tears when they are down" Romans " Romans 12:15


Rylee is make to mother....or maybe sometimes even smother. Rylee is a lover. I have said since she was two that someday she will have a 15 passenger van full of children. We knew she needed to be big sister to get practice for all the people she would need take care of. She loves to hug and hold and carry anyone who will let her...and even sometimes when they don't. I don't really know what God is going to do with her but I know that she sees the heart of God for those who can not or will not speak for themselves. That is really what a mother does...advocate...advocate for Jesus, for their child, for what is right......
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8

Rylee is just a good friend. She always has a friend over or whats to be with someone. She has good friends because she is a good friend. At her birthday party this year she has girls coming that range in age from 7-11. That is Rylee....and her friend...not bound to age but all girls who are lovers of God....which makes Rylee love them back. Right now I can't be Rylee's friend because I have to be her mother...but I look forward to a time when she is much older when we can be friends....I look forward to her companionship in that way...I will always be her mother but someday we can add friend to that list!
"A friend loves at all times; and a brother is born for adversity" Proverbs 17:17