Letters to Gage, Gabe and Grant: Happy Birthday, Madeline!

Dear Gage,

Today your big sissy Madeline turned 14 years old! It's hard to believe. Needless to say, your Dada is a little beside himself. Next year she'll be going to high school, and in just four and a half years she'll be off to college. She has grown into a beautiful, intelligent, and wonderful young lady. We are very proud of her and all her accomplishments. She's been very active in band and extracurricular activities, such as academic team, science olympiads and piano, just to name a few. She loves you very much and you love her too! I love to watch you both play together. You have so much fun with her, and she knows just what to do to make you smile.

We were wanting to have a big party for her this weekend, but she was playing in a parade with the Allen County band in Scottsville today and will be playing in another Christmas parade tomorrow in Boyce. We were able to throw together an impromptu shindig last night, but it wasn't the spectacle I had wanted to have. We were able to prepare her requested meal: bbq ribs, roasted brussel spouts and chocolate chip cookies. I threw in some mashed cauliflower (which you loved, by the way), wheat rolls, and cake pops to round out the meal. By cake pops, I should say cake balls. I didn't have enough sticks, but we made do with what we had. They might not have looked the way I wanted them to, but they tasted yummy, just the same.

After dessert, Maddie opened her presents. Dada had taken her to the mall and she had picked out some clothes, so there were no surprises from us. Sarah K got her some pins for her hair and we spent a good amount of time putting each other's hair up in various up-do's. Your Dada even got in on the action. All I can say is that he shouldn't pursue a career in doing hair.

We had a wonderful evening celebrating her birthday and continued the fun this morning with a birthday breakfast. We didn't go to the parade today, but are very excited about watching her march with the band in the parade tomorrow. Happy birthday Maddie! We love you very much!