Isabelle Rose Kirk

Sunday was Belle's Day...her real birthday. September 19!

She kept asking me all day in disbelief if she was really four?!?!

A few hours later she would ask if she was still four, "Right now? I'm four!?!".

I interviewed our four year old Princess to capture a brief piece of her sweet little self.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

"A doctor! Because everyone wants to go see the doctor, and it is fun! Oh, and a stand-er-up-swimmer."

What's a 'stand-er-up-swimmer'?

"Yoooou know. When you get big and you can stand up and touch the bottom of the pool like Gracie!"

What's your favorite food?

"Steak. And corn on the cob. And rolls with honey. That's all!"

She is her father's child. Judah loved my salad at dinner - there is still hope for him:)

What's your favorite thing to do?

"Going on a date with daddy to the movie-sitter."

What's your favorite season?

"The fall, because I just love it! The leaves change colors, and its so fun!"

We started the morning celebrating and singing.

What better way to celebrate your birthday than to meet with your friends at church and celebrate God!

We left extra early and hit up Dunkin Donuts for a special birthday breakfast.

Judah was a bit tired from partying hard the night before.

Aron & the kids napped as soon as we got home from church, and I caught up on my Bible study homework. Then it was birthday dinner time...and our girl wanted steak and rolls. Can you guess where we chose? Who has the best rolls of all time? O'Charley's, of course!

After a D-E-LICIOUS meal, a quick trip to the princess (Disney) store was all this little girl needed to make her four year old heart jump out of her chest! She had a little bit of birthday money to spend, and this she absolutely loved!

It didn't seem right to stop celebrating at six o'clock. Afterall, we were nearing the very hour of her birth! And what a beautiful evening the Lord had given us...

So putt putting, it was!

I must say...playing putt putt with two little ones was - well, a whole new ball game, so to speak.

My husband is...(how shall I say this)...is a tad bit competitive. No, that would be an understatement. Well, lets just say he comes from a lineage of men that like to compete, and win. A lot. The children were an added challenge to our normally intense games.

The last time we played, I was 8 months pregnant, and I emerged victorious.

After my first hole -in- one...Aron was sweating.

But he and Belle started working together (she loves to win as much as her daddy!).

For example - Belle held the swinging obstacle out of daddy's way while he putt'd, but at daddy's instruction, started it swinging for me. It subsequently sent a 'would-be' hole-in-one flying in the opposite direction. Aron thought this was the most awesome thing ever!

Aron picked up his game...

And took hold of the title of Reigning Putt Putt Champion.

We finished off the evening with Belle's requested Pumpkin Cookies, and we almost forgot to measure our 4 year old on her birthday! Its getting crazy to see all the years starting to stack up...1, 2, 3, 4 year old heights! Yikes!

Isabelle,

I wish I had words to describe to you the joy you bring to our hearts.

In one year's time you have become a little girl - full of beauty, gentleness, compassion, and love. We miss the toddler, but are in awe of the personality emerging from your tiny frame.

We tell you all the time, but we seriously mean it - You are the best big sister in the entire world. The way you love your bubs blows our minds. God has given you a heart to nurture & protect, love & delight in others. We adore watching you express these things to Judah. Just yesterday, I looked in the rear-view mirror, saw you take hold of Judah's hand, and say, "Its you and me. Best friends, together. Through it all. Its you and me. Best friends, together. Through it all."

You are smart and intuitive, expressive and imaginative. You crave quality time - an intrinsic love language for you, to be sure. And you have me on the fence as to whether you are introverted or extroverted. You light up when you are with your friends, yet can just as easily escape into worlds beyond playing on your own for hours. Can you tell mommy loves unwrapping the gift of you? Each day discovering more of the girl God has made you to be!

Isabelle, we pray God will teach us how to communicate His love for you. We pray His Spirit will protect you and open your eyes to His Love. That you will fall in love with Him as we have. That you will understand this world is so much more than what we can see, and that You were created for eternity. He is your King, dear Princess. There is a prince of this world, and he will attempt to steal your loyalty, trap your heart in his deception, and cause you to doubt that your King even loves you at all. We pray you will understand His heart toward you is Good, and His dominion is love. And He is worthy of your trust, worthy of your devotion, worthy of your heart. Our King says you are lovely, you are worth fighting for, and His love is enough.

You have given mommy and daddy the best four years of our life.

Happy Birthday, our sweet Bella Rose!

ejk