Ava turns 5 on Sunday

Ava ready for the Daddy/Daughter dance, March 2009

Since I will be in full "hunt mode" by Sunday, I figured I would write about this craziness now.

My little girl turns 5 on Sunday. That is really weird to me. It seems like she was born 5 minutes ago, not 5 years ago. Even more weird is 13 years ago, Lisa and I were married...13 years from now, our kids will be out of the house. Where does time go? Why does it speed up more with every day you live?

I am grateful that God gave Ava to us. She is a beautiful little girl, inside and out. I could not love her more. She constantly keeps us laughing...and laughing is her favorite thing to do. God blessed the world with a strong little girl when he made Ava. I pray everyday she uses that strength to honor Him and her husband one day. I know she will.

I am still learning how to have a girl-child. They don't make sense to me, which I guess makes sense because they don't make sense to me when they grow up either (except for you, Lisa...you make perfect sense to me all the time**).

It's much harder for me to have a girl than a boy since my protection for her knows no limit...and my understanding of her knows all limit. I grew up in a house of boys...nothing that wasn't logical was allowed in our house and no problem couldn't be solved with a good, old fashioned, fist-fight. Currently, I cannot make that rule apply. I am a work in progress. I am hoping by the time I get to heaven, God will have allowed me to understand girls...even if but for a brief moment...

I'm mostly joking, but it definitely is different than raising a boy!

I am so glad she is growing up happy, healthy and knowing she is loved. What an awesome 5 years we have had and we look forward to so many more. Happy birthday, Ava! We love you like crazy!

**There always is an asterisk in writing that requires further investigation and may only be half true to make the author look better and the reader less offended.