Happy 5th Birthday, Avery Elizabeth!!

Five. Five years. 

The fifth birthday is a momentous one to me. 

A big deal. 

And to have Avery turning five seems even bigger. My tiny little peanut of an infant is becoming a 5 year old? Where does the time go?

With Avery it shouldn't be a surprise to me really, with her everything has been fast. She crawled and did just about everything else, early and fast. She's always in fast motion, she talks fast, and doesn't walk. She is either running or dancing to her destination. 

The thing about Avery that always floors me is her eyes. When she is happy they literally dance and sparkle. When she is mad they seem to change to the deepest darkest blue - like an angry ocean color...and when she cries, the tears seem bubble up in huge drops that just keep spilling over. I tell you she could water a garden with those tears they are so big. Jordan calls them cartoon tears because its like a cartoon character!

Much of Avery reminds me of myself. She is my all or nothing child. And you always know what she is thinking. With Lauren I often have to ask what she is thinking, feeling. But with Avery, its always there, right on her face, there is no guessing. She gets mad easy, but it rolls off easy too...thank goodness! She laughs easy and seems to keep a twinkle in her eye long after the laughter dies down. Avery is the spark in our family. She keeps us on our toes. 

What scares me about Avery is that I know in life when she is faced with either walking through a nice safe, flat meadow with plenty of light, no trees and no surprises; or a mountain, with difficult terrain and dangerous animals and lots of trees and rocks to avoid; she is always going to chose the mountain. Whether for the adventure that might await her, or the view that might be at the top, or just simply for the chance that there could be something new on the other side...I see some heartache and struggles in her future. Because it is her nature to take the difficult way...the challenging course. 

Avery my sweet girl, I would never try to talk you out of that challenge, because I know that it is what makes you, Avery. But I do pray that when those trials come you will get your strength to keep moving on from 2 things, one from the love that pours out of your dad and I for you, we truly believe you can be and do anything that you set your mind and heart towards. We are always here for you. But also, and more importantly, I pray that you learn to get your strength from you Heavenly Father. He created you exactly as He wanted and I have no doubt that He wants to use that adventurous nature in your for something great. He will always be there for you and He will always hold the answers. 

Avery we are so blessed that you are in our family. You bring us so much joy. It may be your birthday, but we got the gift...

All our love. 

These pictures are SO Avery. Fully of fun, killer smile and arms wide open, ready to embrace just about everything, full of sweetness and sun!