Thursday, February 12, 2009

Happy Birthday to God's Hands

Rose turned seven yesterday.

That's, like, halfway to high-school. Oh, my baby!

We've been celebrating for days -- restaurant outing on Saturday, party at our house Sunday, cookies and paper crown at school yesterday morning, family presents & cards in the mail last night, probably a few cards yet to arrive.

She's such a fascinating combination of old-soul and pre-teen and sweet innocent child. Oh, and little snot, too.

The pre-teen Rose was kind of hoping for a Jonas Brothers CD or Michael Jackson.

The innocent child was just as thrilled to get an Imagination Movers CD instead (Juice Box Heroes!)

The little snot is having trouble making herself convey the proper thank-yous to relatives sending her gifts in the mail (we're working on it!) Although, I had to remind JoyDad that he developed a reputation in his own immediate family as a youth for ripping open a birthday card, declaring "No money!" and tossing it dramatically aside...

The old-soul has been delighting her Sunday School teachers.

I heard from one of her teachers awhile back, who was touched at how Rose is always excited to talk about her little sister in class when they discuss the events of the week gone by.

Last night I heard from her other teacher (who also happens to be one of Joy's baristas) about their project this past Sunday.

The lesson involved one of the healing miracles of Jesus, and the idea that we are called to be God's healing hands in the world. To expand on the idea, they created a poster together, tracing their hands and adding other illustrations as well.

As the poster-making was drawing to a close, Rose had one more idea. She began drawing a smooth, looping line connecting all of the hands on the poster and the other illustrations. "That's God's love," she said, "running between all of us."

Amen. And, happy birthday!

8 comments:

Niksmom said...

What a delight she is (well, ok, except when she'sbeing a snot)!

Happy Birthday, dear Rose!

Anonymous said...

Aw, Rose is definitely wise beyond her now 7 years!! Unfortunately, due to other chaos and issues here, I did not get Rose's birthday card mailed yet, but I will get it out today. So, the birthday celebrating will continue! LOL! And, of course, we will also get her gifts to her when we see you next, so her celebrations might even drag on for a month or two!! I'll just aim to get Rose's gifts to her before it's time to give Joy her gifts!! And I do love it that Rose has a little bit of that "snot" in her or she would be so boring and mature!! LOL! After all, she certainly must have a bit of her dad in her. And, yes, I was a witness to the "What, no money?" tossing of birthday cards done by JoyDad. The really funny thing was that he was also doing that at our aunt's party (she is only a few years older than JoyDad and lived with us when we were kids)by ripping open her cards and tossing them!!! LOL!!The guests at the party really liked that act! LOL!

Anonymous said...

oh that is beautiful! they have so much more to teach us than we do them, don't they?

happy birthday, sweet girl!

Anonymous said...

It's so interesting to me that you use the term "old soul," because that's what so many people say about my own Little Man. Seems they can use their premature maturity (how's that for an oxymoron, huh?) to their advantage sometimes though, doesn't it? ;)

Happy birthday, Rose!

mama edge said...

Happy birthday, Rose, old girl (from a woman who's "like, halfway to" dementia).

Anonymous said...

Posts like this will be a special gift to much-older-Rose, one day.

(A sincere aawwww!)

Should be good for at least the mid-level nursing home when she gets to decide. Good investment, JoyMama! Let's hope she lets JoyDad tagalong with you, too. Unless she inherited any more of his sn*t traits. chkl.

Thanks for sharing Rose's beautiful expression of her soul with us.
BRatK

datri said...

Happy Birthday, Sweet Rose!

Elizabeth Channel said...

Lovely and gave me chills! So true, though, how 7 seems to be a special age for maturity.

Happy Birthday sweet Rose!