Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen

 Believe it or not, our firstborn is now sixteen years old!

I tend to be more in the "can't-believe-it" camp just because the years have gone by so quickly and her adulthood is quickly approaching. 

Briana Leigh is such a joy, and she's one of those people with a sweet spirit and a servant's heart.  Her love for the Lord is genuine and shines through her every day by overflowing onto those around her.

 She was simply thrilled with all of the fun presents she received from her family as they showered her with love in the form of cute clothes, lotions, perfumes, and money for shopping.  We got her a sewing table for the hobby room (she has already used it to turn a dress into a skirt!) and her purity ring.  She and Alan have been studying what God says about purity and preparing for marriage over the last several weeks, and the study culminates with the gift of a purity ring symbolizing his commitment to help and guide her in preserving her purity to give to her future husband.

 

She has been very blessed by this special time with Dad and loves her ring.  We let her help us pick it out, because we wanted it to be unique to her.  She chose this lovely little flower which is inscribed with "love" on one side (pictured below) and "waits" on the other side.

  

It was also fun to share her delight as the church surprised her with a little celebration after our Wednesday evening Bible study.  She felt special and honored, and her new friends told me that was their intent--to make her feel special.

 

Here she is with a couple of Iowa church friends she is already enjoying, Charity and Morgan.

  

And just for extra fun, she is building friendships with girls like Amber in the local homeschool group as well.

 

I am so thankful for Briana, such a blessing from the Lord, and am honored to be her mother and sister in Christ.  I love you Briana, and wait with anticipation to see what the Lord does in your life!