these are the days of (Summer 2020 edition)

* endless requests for icee pops

* school slowly winding up: math and reading

* making homemade salsa with too much cilantro

* helping Meme with house renovations

* reading stacks and stacks of books

* soccer starting, then stopping...

* wearing masks 

* the boys mowing

* becoming very familiar with the orthodontist parking lot (we've got 2 braced faced teens now)

* prepping for Women's bible study 

* playing jackbox games

* early mornings spent talking with Jeremiah on the back deck, joined by our resident feathered friends

* Zoe asking for things in a high to low order..."Can I have 7 or 6 _____?"

* cello practicing

* Stewartsville library afternoon runs

* Ezra's mountain biking obsession

* getting excited for vacay

* minecrafting with friends

* quiet early coffee morning routines

* LIFT 4 workouts

* making plans, but holding them oh so loosely

*feeling settled. but not satisfied

* swims at SML

swiftly fly the years (Zoe turns 9)

 

She's nine today. 

I walked down photo memory lane of her last year, in hopes of choosing two or three good ones to share.

I narrowed it down to 23. 

She's still our animal fanatic. F.A.N.A.T.I.C. I'm pretty sure if there was a legitimate way to monetize her animal impersonations, her college fund would be set. 

Her moods are still as volatile as a southern summer afternoon. You will always know how she feels about you, how she feels about anything...which, is mostly an amazing trait. Unless she doesn't like you. Awkward.

Her days are spent reading, drawing, playing with her stuffed animals, surviving her older brothers, and playing with friends and cousins any chance she gets. 

Despite (or perhaps, because of) the age difference, she shares a special friendship with Ella. They just upgraded their room together with new loft beds and a new-to-us desk (which she promptly insisted on painting peacock blue). Fitting.

She's made incredible strides in all school subjects over the last year, but reading is her favorite.

She's my buddy on a lot of evenings when the big kids are gone and I love how she will ask me, "so, Mom, what should we do tonight?!" 

She's so stinking full of life, living up to her name every day.

Happy nine years Zoe Elizabeth, you're kinda a big deal to all of us.