Today is the twelfth birthday of our sweet Hope.
Hope - Millipede in 2001
Photo by Amy LV
Hope - Wedding in 2003
Photo by Amy LV
Hope - Knitting in 2007
Photo by Amy LV
Hope - Woodpile in 2010
Photo by Amy LV
Unlike robins, oak trees, and minnows, people celebrate birthdays. We know our dates and times of birth and make merry with cupcakes, gifts, and singing. But while we can tell a tree's age by counting its rings, people do not have rings to count each year of life. Our growth must be measured by milestones of accomplishment, what we believe, how we treat others, and what we expect from ourselves. In a way, these are our invisible rings, and as each birthday passes, we can notice how we have grown on the inside, which new rings of meaning have layered upon the old.
As a mother, I see such rings deepening and strengthening in our children. Today, as Hope crosses the threshold into this big number of 12, I feel honored to hear her call me "Mom". Happy birthday Honey!
If you have not yet found the International Children's Digital Library, head on over to Sylvia Vardell's blog, Poetry for Children to learn more about this beautiful, valuable, and free resource.
(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)
I can't believe she's twelve years old...she's almost a teenager! Your kids are getting so big, Amy! Tell Hope happy birthday from me. Love you!
ReplyDelete-Emily
What a wonderful birthday present! You have a gift for saying just the right thing in the perfect way! Beautiful photos! And from the mom of a 13 year old, hold on tight to this 12th year!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Bonnie
Hi Amy,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tribute to your lovely daughter Hope. Spirit, kindness, and wisdom are all great attributes to celebrate. The birthdays of our children are such special days!
~Theresa
Emily, Bonnie, and Theresa, Words from you three coming this way on Hope's birthday mean so much to me. Thank you! It is funny to think that 12 years ago, Hope was just a wee one. And 12 years from now, she will be...who knows?...traveling through England or something. Life is strangely magical. In so many ways, I feel 12 too. I think you will appreciate the Sharon Olds poem I linked to on The Poem Farm's facebook page today, 35/10.
ReplyDeleteI'm holding on! Thank goodness for friends. A.
Beautiful...and applicable to all our children, and ourselves, on our best days....Happy Birthday Hope!!
ReplyDelete