3/15/2013
It truly is a tremendous privilege to be on the journey watching you grow up right before my eyes. I praise God every day that He chose me to be your mommy. You have taught me to love deeper, more sacrificially and more freely. I feel so incredibly blessed that YOU are FIVE now :O) You couldn't be prouder to hold out a full hand of fingers and honestly I love that too! I can't help but think back to all the ways God's hand has been on your life over the last 4 years and I'm thrilled to see in your 5th year of life all the ways God is going to move in your life to make you more like Himself. YOU are totally worth celebrating Ataly Raen Hatfield!
A few things we love about you and have discovered about you in the last year are...
- you effortlessly transitioned from toddler-hood to school-age
- you became a pre-schooler and thrived in the school environment where you got to meet lots of new friends, care for others and see your big brother right across the hall in kingergarten
- you broke your first bone in your wrist 10 days before you started pre-school but it didn't hold you back from jumping right in and embracing the new school adventures
- your zeal for life grows more contagious each day...your little light really shines brightly
- big changes took place this year when we moved from Medford (the only place you have ever known and called home for the last 4 years) to a new town called Ripon. Most days you managed to embrace the new normal but there were some days your heart was burdened and you'd ask when we were going to go back to Medford. The Briggs family (Shanna) was one of your favorites and the person you missed the most.
- you LOVE animals and were delighted that you got to have pets (Isa, Lola, George, Pumpkin) stop by for a visit or go visit the horses when we lived at the Nelsons. You now wonder when you'll be able to get your own pet...
- you unashamedly share Jesus with anyone you meet and you don't fully understand how others could be so apathetic toward Jesus.
- You love making silly faces
- you got your first real haircut
- learned about death from Uncle Pete
- we never had tv (other than movies in Medford) so when we moved to the Nelsons and they had cable you got to discover what real tv is like
- fruit is still your favorite food
- your smile lights up a room
- you'll still fall asleep in the van if you're tired
-you're a big helper in the kitchen by getting some of your own snacks, putting dishes away or helping make meals
- you played soccer and did well but I think you more enjoyed it being a place to see your friends
- we got to experience being real princesses together at Disney World
YOU, Ataly Raen Hatfield, have been fearfully and wonderfully made. The Lord knows everything about you and has charted your path ahead of you. You can't escape from His presence, His hand will guide you and His strength will support you all the days of your life. God's thoughts about you are innumerable. You are a treasured blessing my precious daughter and I pray that you will always celebrate the wonderfully complex ways God has made you. (Psalm 139)
Ataly, it's a joy to watch you grow and develop into a beautiful masterpiece of God's. I'm thankful YOU are my daughter and I love you like crazy!
xoxo--Mommy
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