Johanna turned 4

The force in strong with this one and growing stronger every year.

Johanna celebrated her birthday with a family birthday party in October at our house. It was originally going to be at Will and Heather's but they came down with lice so we moved it a week later and moved it to our house.

We celebrated Ben and Lilian turning 8, Johanna turning 4, and Ellie turning 2. With the last minute plan changing, we went with a simple theme of animals. The girls got out our bucket of animals and placed them around the house, then we did animal stickers on the  table runner.

Johanna asked for an O the Owl cake. He is the young owl from Mr. Rodger's Land of Make Believe remake, called Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. I did a first run the eve before the 1st party cancellation and then a 2nd version for the actual party at our house. No one complained about the extra cake.

On Johanna's actual birthday, she brought mini yellow and blue cupcakes to school to share. As we prepared to walk to school she went out on the porch first and yelled across the street to our neighbor "It's my Birthday!" She was oozing excitement all day. After school, she got a happy birthday phone call from Emma. Hanna picked Mathew's 1800 for her dinner out and we shared a big ice cream sundae. Hanna bounded about with a big smile all day.

Johanna has such a strong personality, and a streak of tenderness. She looks at the world with awe and wonder, and such a level of inquisitiveness. There is sometimes a glint in her eye that says "I will rule the world", for now at least her desire for world domination is contained to her immediate bubble and we are her world. Now we need to figure out how God wants us to direct her power, because I feel like I have no idea most of the time. I do know that she was created for something and it is really good.

 Hanna is growing and changing, and there are many things that she is growing beyond. Just the other night as we were getting ready for bed, she said to me "Can we run like I did when I was little?"  And so she did a lap around the house as each clothing item came off and a lap as each clothing item went on. It has probably been a year since we did that and it made me pause to realize that she has grown out of so much already. These moments are so temporary and I am so lucky to get to experience them.

Happy 4th Birthday Johanna!