Lily Hope,

You're four now.
You're lovely and like no one we've ever, ever met.
You have tiny little freckles on your nose.
Lily, you are out. of. the. box.
Your Dad and I, when people ask us about you- we feel a little at a loss for words.
You do so much, you love so much, but...you just can't be boxed in. We don't know how to describe you.
One thing is for sure- you live in the moment. And logic is lost on you. You just can't be told A means B. And even if you thought A meant B five minutes ago, you might just irreversibly change your mind. For no reason.

Baby, you just do not care what anyone thinks.

And in Jesus Name, I pray over you daily, though you don't know it, that your unique self would be led in all the right ways.

You're unboxed. You're secure. Different. Quirky. You can't be told what's possible and what's impossible. You're extremely sharp and intelligent, a very fast learner who absorbs incredible amounts of information easily and indirectly, typically, when you look like you're not paying attention at all. But you don't care if we know how much you know. You just know it.

Someone like you is going to cure cancer. Erase the crisis of Third World Debt. Find a home for every orphan.

We can't box you in. We love you like crazy. I tell you daily how much I love that you make life interesting. Sometimes I say that with interesting typed out "interesting" in my mind's eye. Because life with you is sweet, and sour, and frustrating, and just hilarious.

Well, one thing's for sure. You love strawberries. So we had yet another strawberry-themed birthday.


You feel older, now that you're four. You've told us.

We love you Lily Hope.

Love,

Mom