On Monday, we will celebrate five years with our daughter. There’s something about four-year-old preschool that feels so old, isn’t there? She has started to read the world around her, picking out sight words, familiar signs, and even surprises herself reading new words. It feels like it’s happening too fast!
As we joined with friends this weekend, I couldn’t help but remember her first birthday. We celebrated at a brewery with friends. (She also chose to celebrate at the brewery this year!) Shortly after we celebrated together in the cold and rain, the world shut down. We entered into that pandemic life with a toddler whose immunities hadn’t fully developed and who had a tendency to pick up everything that was going around. As I look back at the pictures of her first birthday, I think, “Wow, we had no idea what was coming.”
And now here we are four years later celebrating her fifth birthday, joining with friends to celebrate again, and sending cupcakes to school after a period of time where we couldn’t even attend school safely. She has a resilience and tenacity that I wish I could borrow some days! She has a tender heart and wants to help those who are hurting. Is this from the pandemic? Or is this just who she is?
As I watch her blow out the candles this weekend, I will be overwhelmed with deep gratitude that we are here together and amazement at what she has already traversed in her short five years. I can’t wait to see where she goes!