Wow, it’s incredible that you are already 15, and it’s even more incredible how much you have grown and changed since you arrived here and joined our family. You have persevered through more than most, and you have grown to realize that you can do hard things and those hard things can produce incredible fruit in your own life and in those around you. Our mantra lately before you head to school has been:
Momma: “You can do?
Leila: Hard things!
Middle school is a challenging season, but you are working hard and learning so much from your incredible team of teachers. You are excelling in basketball and love game days. We really enjoy watching you play and seeing the joy on your face when you make a good play.
You continue to love rice, Asian food (especially after Japan), eggs and anything that tastes good with spice - spicy seasonings, hot sauce, hot salsa, etc. You are still my plain-Jane vanilla girl when it comes to sweets. We discovered this year that you like coffee with loads of cream and no sugar. So, Sunday mornings at church, you enjoy this once-a-week treat.
At home, you love riding around on the gator, playing basketball and running (just kidding...you despise running). Any chance you get to watch something, you want to watch Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, The Cosby Show or Star Wars. You love sitting in front of the wood stove, and you thoroughly enjoy cranking up your heated blanket at night.You love helping out with Benaiah, and I’m so grateful for that.
While being a teenager hasn’t been without its challenges, our relationship with you has made great strides. We still mess up, and we all have to say, “I’m sorry” more than we’d like, but through the hard moments we are growing in grace. We often tell you, “correction is not rejection,” but we’ve also had to tell ourselves that “disobedience is not rejection” towards us. We are each learning to love one another better and not take our flawed human momentssso personally. Grace. It is vital.
Leila, we love you. We are thankful for you, and we’re so happy you’re our daughter.
Love,
Momma and Daddy
So glad you’re still willing to wear pigtails.
And wrestling your little brothers.
For your 15th birthday, you wanted to watch Star Wars and eat Chinese. So that’s what we did!
Playing for Aylett Country Day School Patriots.
Lady in red!
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