Rebekah Sandra is 11

Today our Rebekah turned 11 years old! What a joy to see the personality and gifts the Lord has given her develop and become more refined as she grows!

Rebekah loves life. She always has. So full of joy, spunk, and laughter; always wanting to be right in the middle of whatever is taking place. She truly has a servant's heart and sees needs that nobody else sees and loves to meet them.

While she, like her mommy, can struggle with her attitude at times or just plain do the wrong thing, she, like her daddy, is quick to admit wrong and so sweetly tells me what she is praying for the Lord to do in her life in her areas of weakness.
Both she and daddy have taught me much :).

She loves to cook, *almost* always joyfully helps me with the household chores, caring for a little one is NOT a chore for her...she loves play with and love on the little ones. She is outgoing, brave, and is finally learning to sit still...somewhat :)

She has never seen a stranger. She sees the good in everybody; she thinks everybody needs a friend...and she gladly wants to be that friend. She loves to surprise me by sneaking in the kitchen and starting breakfast or making me my morning coffee. She loves to write love notes to Mommy and Daddy or her siblings and hide them somewhere for them to find later.

While she is growing up, she's not growing up too fast. She still loves to play. I do too :).

And in a family of almost completely blondies, she is the one child that people can say, "Oh, she must be yours".

And how glad I am that she is!
One thing that I'm getting a glimpse of the past couple of years is seeing my children become more and more my friends.
And while my heart sometimes longs to keep them all little, I just LOVE them as they get big! Sometimes I feel so blessed I think I just might bubble over with joy!

Rebekah's been asking for several months now for a Spanish/English Bible. She's worked hard in Sunday School learning to read Spanish, and so I ordered her one last month with a pretty cover to go along with it. I was hopeful it would arrive in time for her special day, but it didn't. I told her this morning that we ordered her a gift, but it didn't come yet and I was really sorry that it would be late, she said, "That's okay, Mommy. It will still be the best day ever!"
And that's just how God made Rebekah. Every little thing brings her so much joy.
Happy Birthday, Rebekah! We love you! May you continue to grow in your love for the Lord and others.