Happy 10th Birthday Megan!!!!

Yes, 10 years already!!!!!! (I'm pretty much in denial that it has already been an entire decade.)

Megan's birthday is July 16th (Monday) but we've been celebrating already. :-)

This year Megan only looked slightly embarrassed when we sang to her before church (as in the entire congregation singing). Today after church Megan requested that we go to Hackberry's for brunch. Megan has obviously inherited my good taste. ;-)

As I briefly mentioned her fun celebration and gift was getting to go to the Mall of America last Saturday with a friend and also with Aunt Ellen as fashion consultant (see photos). I did manage a few small surprises for her to unwrap this morning at brunch that received a few wows and that's cool. :-) We decided to let her unwrap them at brunch today because tomorrow she'll have summer school during the day and then has a 4H meeting at night so it will be a bit rushed. Also, she's celebrating with other friends at with her Dad this afternoon and evening.

I'm so proud of my "big girl" that I could almost stop giving her a hard time for growing up so fast. Almost.

I like Megan to think that I still know a few things and that she should listen to her mother. But already she's taught me way more than I think I'll ever teach her. She taught me to listen to myself as a mother from day one when she didn't follow the eat, sleep, poop newborn pattern (well she had the eating and pooping down pretty well, but that sleep part ... sometimes I think I'm still working on that one with her!) ... she was a smart baby and she new what she needed ... she's still pretty brilliant but even for smart kids there are all kinds of challenges and tough times. Megan has continued to teach me so much through all of her, and my, hard times and challenges. I have a feeling that Megan has gone through more emotional and spiritual growth in her first decade than many humans do in many more decades. The next decade will hopefully bring the maturity to integrate those emotions, the knowledge to put it all to use not only in her life but also the wider world, and so much more ...

{{{{ I love you Megan }}}}