A Moment of Maggie

Maggie woke up the other morning and declared that it was her dolly's birthday!

She plopped the doll in her seat, put the birthday cake on the table, and led us all in a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday."

Such a sweetheart <3

This kind of redeems something for me, though. 

When we moved here over 5 years ago, I was so, so lonely.  Leah wasn't quite 2, and we moved into our house at the beginning of the longest, snowiest winters in a reeeeally long time.  Aaron traveled a lot for work, and I'd take Leah to my parents house (over 2 hours away) so we weren't by ourselves.  This meant I didn't get to church very often to get to know people because we were gone so much.  

The loneliness was heavy and stifling.  

So once when things were really slow and boring and we just needed to do something, Leah and I took $5 to Walmart and bought mini cupcakes and sherbet to celebrate her Cabbage Patch doll's birthday.  We even made a happy birthday sign for her.  We sang and had a little treat, just to have something to do.  

And it was my idea...Leah was along for the ride (which she greatly enjoyed).

I'm really grateful that God has moved us beyond that lonely time of transition, because when I look back on it, I still feel a little sad for the 5-years-ago-Becky.

But, I'm even more grateful that I can look at Maggie singing "Happy Birthday" to her doll and celebrate the joy and creativity that are simply a part of who she is.