My baby turns 9 today. Quite the little lady! I see in her a lot of me…so do many people who know me well!! She’s reached 4th grade, and is interested in things that we were all interested in back in 4th grade – jokes that are a play on words, retainers or just paper clips bent into retainers, adult conversation – wants to always be included, reading everything in site, movies for pre-teens. She’s interested in all.

Seeing her move into the new phase of life brings back lots of memories, and even though she is a lot like me, in certain ways she hasn’t had the same experiences as I did, for which I’m grateful. Hopefully this pattern will continue in Colorado.

Yesterday she read a complete Laura book! She loves to stay up late and read, coming to find us when she finishes a book. I can’t keep her supplied with enough books, and will be very thankful for the local library once we move. She enjoyed the Laura book, and spent this morning helping people, because she wanted to be helpful, like Laura. She really impressed the people she was helping! They came to compliment us on our daughter.

We were at González Cátan this morning, my first trip out there. Claudia, who will be taking over faaro once we leave, joined us, to see the ministry and to meet the pastor. Two years ago when Bryon was there he took lots of photos of the kids, and since I created the brochure and poured over those photos for hours, I felt like I knew the kids. I recognized a lot of them! One girl Stephanie and I made fast friends today. She asked me lots of questions, introduced me to her cousins and father, and wanted to be in every photo. When we left I asked her if I could take a photo of her and me together, and she was just beaming! She sat next to me and gave me a hug, but I picked her up and sat her on my lap. Such a delight!! I hope we get to go out there again before we leave.

I get all tight inside when I think of having to tell people that we’re leaving. This week we will be telling the pastor and his wife, then we can spread it around to more, but I’m really not looking forward to this. Never having been good at this, I am determined to tell people this time, not like last, when we left and I hadn’t told any of the girls’ friends or their parents that we were moving – imagine their surprise when we were not around the following school year! As much as I suffer telling people, I refuse to be a coward this time. I’ve learned my lesson!