We celebrated Olivia's 8th birthday on May 12. The birthday parties were both on May 13 this year and we knew we wouldn't have time to really celebrate Liv properly so we backed it up a day to just focus on her. She was very patient with her presents, waiting until Daddy got home from work to open them. We let her choose what she wanted for dinner and her request was, "Steak!" She didn't even have to think about it! Jeff was in charge of cooking the steak because Olivia said that his steaks are better than the ones at the restaurants. Olivia says the ones at the restaurants are "too chewy". Jeff says that is to be interpreted as "overdone". :)
Olivia, we had a great time celebrating you this year. You had a really fun year and it was such a blessing to watch you grow and mature. You are deeply compassionate and empathetic. I am often surprised at how deeply you can see into a situation at your age. You are definitely not a black and white thinker, but you are able to consider many sides to a situation and think of others' feelings. Sometimes this makes you worry about things that you don't need to worry about, sometimes it fosters your shyness and sometimes it just makes my heart swell at the mercy that you have available for other people. Last year, at the end of 1st grade, Mrs. Arnold took me aside and told me that she really thought you were a wonderful girl. She said that the mercy and compassion that you show to others in the classroom was simply amazing for someone so young. She echoed my thoughts and said that she was certain that God has something great planned for you and that your impact on this world will be huge. I know that she's right. My prayer for you is that you will learn with certainty at a very young age that God has designed you exactly the way that He wants for you to be. Only you can accomplish the plan that he has just for you and if you were any different that plan wouldn't work. I pray that you are able to embrace the great parts of you AND the ones that you wish were different. And don't be shy about sharing your talents and gifts - God gave them to you to share! You are such a beautiful girl and I'm thrilled to see how you grow this next year. I love you!
Olivia's Interview (her answers in bold):
How old are you today? 8
How does it feel to be 8? Like I'm 7
How was your day? Good
What did you do? Field Day
What was the weather like? Sunny
What do you think is the most important thing that you've learned in life so far? Mmmm....I don't know. I've learned a lot of important lessons.
Do you have one you want to share? Nope.
What is your favorite thing about yourself? I don't know.
What do you think of school so far? Good.
What is your favorite part about school? I have no clue since it's the end of the year and we've done, like, a ton!
So there were a lot of favorites? Yeah.
Who is your best friend? Heather Nixon and Nancy Nguyen
And who's your dance best friend? Katy Jacobs!
What do you like learning about? I don't know.
Is there anything that you would like to do to make school better? Well, since it's easier to think chewing gum I'd like that and since it's easier to concentrate in something comfy I wish they would have beanbags.
Tell me about your family. I don't know. I have a lot of good things about them.
What's your favorite? I don't have a favorite. They're all good.
What do you like about having a brother? Well, I like that he'll play with me IF I play Star Wars with him, but I get it fair. I can still be Katy.
What has been your favorite book this year? Charlotte's Web
Do you have a favorite movie? Lemonade Mouth
Favorite music? Lemonade Mouth
Favorite TV show? I don't know
If you had a whole day to do anything you wanted what would you do? Read. Eat. When I read a lot it makes my stomach kind of hurt so I eat something.
What's your favorite food? Tortellini and steak
Favorite color? Yellow
Favorite drink? Milk?
Favorite dessert? That's hard. I don't know
Favorite number? I don't have one.
What are you excited about coming up this next year? I'll think about it. Can you interview me again with that one?
Okay, we'll come back to that one.
What is your favorite toy to play with? I don't know. I have so many toys in my room I have no clue.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Kindergarten teacher
Anything you're scared of? Yes? But I don't want to tell
Why not? Because it's embarassing.
Anything else you'd like to say? No.
Antying I forgot to ask? No.
Alright, I love you. Love you too.
Oh! I forgot to ask you what you're going to be excited about coming up in 3rd grade. (...long silence...) What??! I'm just thinking!
Any trips you're excited about or things you get to do in 3rd grade? No.
Olivia, we had a great time celebrating you this year. You had a really fun year and it was such a blessing to watch you grow and mature. You are deeply compassionate and empathetic. I am often surprised at how deeply you can see into a situation at your age. You are definitely not a black and white thinker, but you are able to consider many sides to a situation and think of others' feelings. Sometimes this makes you worry about things that you don't need to worry about, sometimes it fosters your shyness and sometimes it just makes my heart swell at the mercy that you have available for other people. Last year, at the end of 1st grade, Mrs. Arnold took me aside and told me that she really thought you were a wonderful girl. She said that the mercy and compassion that you show to others in the classroom was simply amazing for someone so young. She echoed my thoughts and said that she was certain that God has something great planned for you and that your impact on this world will be huge. I know that she's right. My prayer for you is that you will learn with certainty at a very young age that God has designed you exactly the way that He wants for you to be. Only you can accomplish the plan that he has just for you and if you were any different that plan wouldn't work. I pray that you are able to embrace the great parts of you AND the ones that you wish were different. And don't be shy about sharing your talents and gifts - God gave them to you to share! You are such a beautiful girl and I'm thrilled to see how you grow this next year. I love you!
Olivia's Interview (her answers in bold):
How old are you today? 8
How does it feel to be 8? Like I'm 7
How was your day? Good
What did you do? Field Day
What was the weather like? Sunny
What do you think is the most important thing that you've learned in life so far? Mmmm....I don't know. I've learned a lot of important lessons.
Do you have one you want to share? Nope.
What is your favorite thing about yourself? I don't know.
What do you think of school so far? Good.
What is your favorite part about school? I have no clue since it's the end of the year and we've done, like, a ton!
So there were a lot of favorites? Yeah.
Who is your best friend? Heather Nixon and Nancy Nguyen
And who's your dance best friend? Katy Jacobs!
What do you like learning about? I don't know.
Is there anything that you would like to do to make school better? Well, since it's easier to think chewing gum I'd like that and since it's easier to concentrate in something comfy I wish they would have beanbags.
Tell me about your family. I don't know. I have a lot of good things about them.
What's your favorite? I don't have a favorite. They're all good.
What do you like about having a brother? Well, I like that he'll play with me IF I play Star Wars with him, but I get it fair. I can still be Katy.
What has been your favorite book this year? Charlotte's Web
Do you have a favorite movie? Lemonade Mouth
Favorite music? Lemonade Mouth
Favorite TV show? I don't know
If you had a whole day to do anything you wanted what would you do? Read. Eat. When I read a lot it makes my stomach kind of hurt so I eat something.
What's your favorite food? Tortellini and steak
Favorite color? Yellow
Favorite drink? Milk?
Favorite dessert? That's hard. I don't know
Favorite number? I don't have one.
What are you excited about coming up this next year? I'll think about it. Can you interview me again with that one?
Okay, we'll come back to that one.
What is your favorite toy to play with? I don't know. I have so many toys in my room I have no clue.
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Kindergarten teacher
Anything you're scared of? Yes? But I don't want to tell
Why not? Because it's embarassing.
Anything else you'd like to say? No.
Antying I forgot to ask? No.
Alright, I love you. Love you too.
Oh! I forgot to ask you what you're going to be excited about coming up in 3rd grade. (...long silence...) What??! I'm just thinking!
Any trips you're excited about or things you get to do in 3rd grade? No.
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