Golden Birthday!

Eliza celebrated her Golden Birthday on July 8th! Highlights included getting her ears pierced, sparkly yellow chick earrings, chicken and waffle earrings, a mini A&W mug, and hot tub swimming. She decided to wait for her baptism until we got to Utah so all her cousins can attend. She's so excited! 

We love our little Eliza so much! She's strong, courageous, and so much fun. She loves to climb, knit, read, play with little kids, bead, cuddle her stuffies, and draw.

This summer Eliza discovered she loves brass instruments. There was a musical "petting zoo" at the library where the kids got to try different instruments. Eliza is a natural on the trumpet. When we visited my Grandpa this summer, he gave her his old bugle because he was so impressed she could blow it. He told us his teacher gave it to him and sent him to a room until he could learn to play "To the Colors" for the flag raising each morning. He has always been one to foster musical interests. Eliza LOVES that bugle.

Eliza was so sad to leave our chickens in Kentucky. But she had lots of fun with Alicia's birds while we were there. Eliza is so gentle and caring with all animals. 

Eliza's strength and love of climbing usually leads to her climbing all over playgrounds and trees with the ease of a monkey. Sadly sometimes she climbs higher than she can get down...

Poor little girl broke her arm the beginning of August when she fell about 6 feet off the climbing wall at the Rec Center. She is so strong she was able to climb all the way to the top of one of the harder courses. But once she tried to get down, she realized she couldn't reach one of the foot holds. She slipped and hit the ground hard. Little E didn't shed a single tear, but her arm was obviously broken. Luckily, it wasn't too far displaced and she didn't need it reset or surgically repaired. Now she's rocking her second pink cast.

Sweet Eliza! I love your bold, daring approach to life and the way way you balance that with your natural, nurturing abilities. You're going to be great - at eight and in life. Love you!