Today is My Birthday!!

 It is very hard to believe that it was just one year ago that I arrived here at my new Mommie and Daddy's home for the very first time!  In case you don't remember, click HERE for that story!  

This is a picture of me when I first arrived:

My Mommie was so excited she could hardly get her fingers to work to get me out the big box I came in when the post office lady delivered me.  And then, once I was out of my box and so happy to meet my new family, they had to come up with a name for me!!  If you read that story again, you will remember that my Daddy actually came up with my name, Lily, but it was because he wanted to name me after his grandma "Lillian".  And Mommie also wanted to add the name "Grace", because I was a special and "unexpected gift", which is what the meaning of the word "Grace" is...unmerited favor of God. And so, after talking it over, I became "Lillian Grace"....but we all decided that Lily Grace was easier to say and better suited to who I am.  And so here I am, "Lily Grace"....one year later!

Of course, if you've been keeping up with all my adventures this past year, you will know I've been to a lot of new places and have done lots of fun things! You may want to go back and re-read some of my stories on my very own blog so you can see some of the things I've done. It's been a wonderful year full of surprises and fun and meeting lots of new people and most of all, learning all about Jesus and how much He loves me! We just recently celebrated His birthday on Christmas, and that was quite a happy and exciting time!

But now, today, Mommie says we are going to celebrate my birthday!!!  I didn't even know it! She wanted to surprise me!  But some of the things she wanted to do had to be postponed because Mommie and Daddy have been kind of sick this past week with that mean old virus that's going around, and so they couldn't invite anyone over to our house to help celebrate.  But Mommie said we weren't going to let that keep us from having a party right here with our friends and family who live here with us. And so she let me help her get some special things ready for our own little party.

You all know how much I love to help Mommie make things in the kitchen. So she said it would be okay for me to help mix up my own birthday cake.

My sweet sissie "Baby Elva" wanted to come out to the kitchen and help too:

Mommie didn't want Daddy to take her picture because she's been sick all week and she said her hair needs to be cut and she's not fixed up pretty for the picture...but Daddy said making memories with us was more important than being all prettied up for a picture...so she allowed this one picture. 

I said I wanted to have some cupcakes so my friends could each have one too, and so Mommie said I could put the pretty little colored papers in the cupcake tin to get it ready for the batter.

After the cupcakes were all baked and cooled, Mommie let me help her put the frosting on them! I asked if I could please have chocolate frosting on little white cupcakes,  and so that is what I am getting!!

So now they are all ready, but we just have to wait for our "guests" to arrive before we can have the party.  

They finally all came and we had so much fun playing some games and just laughing and talking and having a real party, all for me!! I was so excited.  Oh, did you see I am wearing my cute little poodle outfit that I got for Christmas?

But because it is so cold today, I put it over my pajamas to I can keep warm! 

Then it was time for the birthday cake.

Mommie said we could use these very special little plates if we were very very careful.

These little "Buster Brown" dishes used to belong to my Mommie's Aunt Margie, way back when she was a little girl. Mommie says there is a date on the bottom of one that says 1910! Wow! That makes them 112 years old!!! I'd say that's very old, wouldn't you?

So I said "Yes, we will be very very careful".  Aren't they so cute? I love the puppy dog, don't you?

And I love how the children and the puppy dog are having a little tea party. That looks like so much fun.  I think it would be fun to have a little doggy, don't you?

Well, anyway, we finally got our cupcakes, and Mommie put a candle in mine and lit it up with fire! That was kind of scary!

But then everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me, and told me to make a wish and then blow out the candle!  So I did make a wish,  but Mommie told me not to tell it to anyone or it wouldn't come true, so I can't tell you what I wished for, but maybe if it comes true then I can tell you.

So I huffed and puffed and blew really hard,

and the fire went out on my little candle.  

So maybe my wish will come true!

And then Mommie had a little announcement to make.  She had been waiting all afternoon for the delivery truck to bring something special that she had ordered for my birthday.  She kept waiting and waiting and watching for him to come, and he never came. Then she got a message on her computer telling her the delivery was going to be delayed until tomorrow (maybe).  Mommie was very disappointed, because she said that was going to be my special surprise for my birthday! Well,  I didn't know I was supposed to be getting any special surprises anyway, so I really didn't mind at all. I thought having my friends here and having these cupcakes was special enough! And then Mommie said since my birthday surprise didn't get here in time, we will just have to continue this party tomorrow, and that my friends could all spend the night with me tonight and we could have a "slumber party"!!!

That sounds pretty special to me, doesn't it to you? I'm not sure where we are all going to sleep, but Mommie said not to worry about it. We'll just put blankets on the floor and get lots of pillows and things and we can all sleep on the living room floor tonight!  Wow! That sure sounds like a lot of fun!!

And so, with that announcement we are all excited and running around finding blankets and stuff and getting ready for  our slumber party, so I will say good night to you!

I think this has been a pretty exciting first birthday, don't you?  And Mommie said we will continue this story when my special surprise arrives.

So until then, here's some things to think about:

"Here's to being a child again.

To laughing without a reason,

smiling so that others will do 

the same and believing the best is all around us."

(zox)

"But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; 

for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 19:14

2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:2-4

Thank you all  for being a special part of my first year!  I hope you have enjoyed my little adventures as much as my Mommie has enjoyed helping me have them.  We hope to keep posting new adventures as often as possible and as time and energy permit!

I love you all!

Love,

Lily Grace

xoxoxoxoxo