Leslie, before her big soccer game, last Tuesday.

Today, our Leslie Anne enters the double digits! I cannot thank the Lord enough for adding her to our family. She is the first baby born to us after my dad’s sudden death, and she certainly helped to fill the ache in my heart. Each of our children is a unique gift from God and I count it a great honor to be their mom.

A few things about our girl:

L-oving – Leslie is an adoring big sister. She has always looked out for Laci and Matthew and loved them like a mini-mother.

E-ntertaining– Leslie (along with her trusty sidekick, Laci) loves to plan little “shows” for us. She has done plays, acrobatics, bicycle tricks and piano pieces for our enjoyment. She’s also been known to tell hilarious jokes. 🙂

S-unny – Leslie’s smile can brighten any situation. I remember the myriad of emotions I felt while holding her right after she was born. That was the first time I caught a glimpse of her delightful grin, and I’ve loved it ever since.

L-adylike – Leslie has always been prim and proper. When she was two years old, she began carrying a purse in all of her play. She now likes to fix her hair and come up with cute outfits to wear. I have a feeling she is looking forward to the day she can wear makeup, too, but I hope I have a few years before that happens. 😉

I-maginative – Leslie’s days of playing “pretend” are about over, but she has always had a great imagination. She could spend hours playing with her Barbie dolls or playing dress up when she was younger. I know she will continue to imagine great things, but in a different way now that she is growing up.

E-fficient – Leslie loves to organize and straighten things. Nothing brings her more joy than to see shoes lined up in a row, shirts neatly folded and a closet arranged by item. This began when she was just a tiny toddler. I remember buying some counting bears to help her learn numbers in preschool. She found far more pleasure in placing them in groups by color than in counting them! She is still like that: neat, precise, orderly. She finds the most efficient way to do her school work each day and follows through with her plan. If you have a job that needs doing, Leslie will get it done in the fastest way possible.

My prayer for Leslie, and all of the children, is that they grow in the knowledge of the Lord. This begins with God’s grace in salvation. Leslie was born on May 17, 2005, but she was born again on November 21, 2014. I pray that she walks closely with the God of her salvation all of her days.

Thank you for stopping by on Leslie’s special day!

With love,