Happy Birthday Violet!

I'm a day late and a dollar short...what is new? With 3 kids and homeschooling I grab the time where I can find it.

I do want to update on fundraising, though! You can see I've changed the ticker from 3,000 as our goal to 4500 because I had some amazing friends donate and Jeff had a family member who Blessed us with more than enough to send Allan AND Jeff. Now they've added a 3rd missionary who had wanted to go, but was unable to afford it. We're not far from our new goal at all and I have no doubt God will provide the rest of the money by the end of this week! PRAISE HIM!!

Now back to our regularly scheduled birthday wishes! Our sweet girl turned THREE yesterday! It's amazing the difference between 2 & 3. She fully understands what a birthday is now...presents, cake, parties. She told me every day last week, "On my berf-day, I want to eat PINK CAKE!" And she did!

Here is one of Violet's first photo-ops. I remember when she was born and I thought she was such a "big" baby at 8lbs 0oz. Of course, now I *know* what a big baby is, but she was bigger than her sister. I also remember her being SO quiet. The midwives had to really try to get her to cry. She has been very calm from the start.

But she is so full of joy and personality! I remember in her first year being told by people that she didn't have much personality. She was too quiet and too calm. But I told them all, she has more personality than anyone I know. And boy does she ever! She is the most joyful child I have ever met and can make fun from anything. She is also sneaky and inventive. She is her daddy MADE OVER!

Here she is last year, at the dawn of understanding. She loved being surrounded by friends and family, getting presents and eating cake, but didn't much like being the center of attention. Again, her daddy made over.

And here is my big girl on her birthday! I had that outfit custom made for her out of fabrics she picked out herself. She's got such a defined personality-she is ALL Violet. Violet does not and never has done anything Violet does not want to do. She's an easy-going child, gifted with joy, love and peace, but she can cloud up in a minute over what she percieves as injustice. She would do anything for anyone, but is shy in groups and cautious about new situations. She is, as I said before, sneaky and inventive-she can get into anything without your knowing, even if you're 2 feet away. She is unabashedly "Daddy's Girl" and is just as comfortable in the mud with her muck boots as she is having a tea party in a princess dress.
I have to close this now and attend to the little ones. Miss Violet requested "the scary movie" (i.e. Twister) but is now wanting some moral support while she watches. Happy belated Birthday to my sweet youngest daughter! I fall in love with you more every day!