Happy 9th Birthday!

I wanted to publicly wish my beautiful niece Leah a happy 9th birthday today! (But she's 8-1/2 in that photo since that's when I saw her last.)

I remember meeting her for the first time in the hospital in Dallas where she was born. I had her big sister on my lap while we gazed at the newborn Leah. She was such a sweet, quiet baby who didn't say a whole lot, but she'd fight for what she wanted! I recall a Thanksgiving when she was only a year old. She was taking a turn sitting in my lap, and when her big sister tried to climb in my lap, too, Leah shoved her off! That made me laugh. She didn't say much, but she certainly made her wishes known!

Now she's my crafty niece. (I mean that in a good way.) She enjoys making things and being creative. I enjoy picking out new craft supplies for her since I love crafty things, too.

This is the third birthday she's spent in London, so it's the third one I've not been able to be there for. I miss her terribly, but I'm excited for the interesting life she gets to lead in England.