Happy birthday, Mary! After last year's bummer of a birthday (celebrating with cousins, but then spending most of the day at Pam's preparing for her funeral 😢), we were determined to give her the best day ever! She made everyone wake up early on Labor Day so she could open presents, then she worked on Legos until a couple of her friends came over to play! It was a wild 9-year-old fun time playing and harassing Eddie, which I don't think he minded too much. We had pesto pasta for lunch, then took her friends home and Nellie back to school. The bowling alley was closed for the holiday, so we got Subway and went mini-golfing before coming back for cake and ice cream. It was a chill but very fun day!
Mary has grown up a lot this year, and it's a blessing to witness her development as a person and in her relationships. She takes on life with a ferocity that's hard to explain if you don't know her. This year, she tried out basketball and musical theater, worked hard at softball and had an undefeated rec league season :), battled and defeated Lyme disease, continued piano lessons, and tried out for her first real musical. She and Eddie will be in Frozen Jr. this fall - the show that started it all for Annie and Nellie many years ago!
It's hard to be the last child standing as all the siblings become adults, teens, and tweens, but Mary certainly holds her own and makes her presence known. We love her endlessly and wish her the happiest year.
Probably everything from the whole Florida trip. But there's so many other things, like softball was my favorite summer activity, and going out to "the bowl" to play and sled with Eddie and DJ was my favorite winter memory.
What is one way God's been working in your life this year?
Over the last year, God's been helping me work hard, have fun, and be successful in the things that I'm doing. Like softball and getting into Frozen Jr.
How do you feel about being nine?
Not different. But I feel like I'll be able to have new opportunities and new things to learn and do.
Frozen Jr. obviously, like the actual performance, more family times when we're all together like Christmas, birthdays and just doing fun things together as a family.
What new things or skills are you learning?
Gardening, lots of new dance moves and things for the musical, math - I've been practicing a lot at home.
Who are your best friends?
Astrogeologist, or any kind of astronomer.
I love thinking and learning about space. I really love math and science, and those are two things you'd need to be able to do.
What’s your favorite song?
Well right now I'm caught up in the Broadway Frozen music, but I love the Greatest Showman, especially Rewrite the Stars and The Other Side.
Pesto pasta [crowd favorite]. If I had to make it a meal, with a side of cantaloupe and maybe some good apple juice.
Favorite movie?
The Greatest Showman, but I really like a lot of movies. I like the Zombies movies, all four.
Blue, but like the color of the sky on a good sunny day.
Favorite place to be?
Play piano; play softball; math; right now, work on my Frozen Jr. script; play games as a family; do crafts.
