amie turns 14.

Can you believe it?

Here is David’s birthday Facebook post, which says it all:

“Amie turns 14 today. She is beautiful inside and out. She loves animals (4 chickens, a lizard, Guinea pig, dog), art (watercolor), baking (see cakes of late), and the outdoors. She radiates Jesus, seeing those others don’t see, giving in ways others don’t know, generous to the point of making me uncomfortable, buried in Philippians all summer, and will confess her sin quicker than anyone I know. The Lord bless you and keep you, Ams.”

We didn’t do a big party for this year (well, we never do big parties if I can help it. Usually just small, fun friend hang-outs). After all of us traveling hither and yon these last weeks, Amie just wanted “to be together as a family.”

She also wanted to do some crafting with her friends, Zoe and Violet, and they couldn’t help giving her a little birthday celebration.

Amie’s actual birthday on Monday was very low key, with cinnamon rolls for breakfast. It was a cozy, rainy day, so the kids and I browsed at the library mid-morning, then Ams helped me paint the little bookshelf for our hallway. David had a meeting that evening, but we let Amie choose the movie that the rest of us watched (poor girl, with three brothers and a dad, Family Movie Night has pretty much turned into action movie night), and her choice was Toy Story. It was perfect. I realized I’ve been watching Pixar movies for 25 years now, and they never get old (although, to be frank I haven’t yet seen the two latest ones. maybe the old ones never get old).

On Tuesday we had a little family party at Kenny and Shari’s pool to celebrate Amie and Oliver.

And then on Wednesday, my parents took her to Charlotte, to Cheap Joe’s Art shop (my mom’s favorite), to choose some new watercolor supplies. They also, of course, had to stop at Amelie’s Bakery for afternoon tea and a treat.

Happy 14, Ams! You make us so happy!