Brooke turned 9 today! We can’t believe she is growing so fast. Just a short time ago I wrote about her being six.
Brooke is a vibrant, full-of-life, sweet, smiling, little girl. This story captures why we are so proud of Brooke and her demeanor in life as well.
Brooke competed in the Lads-to-Leaders and Leaderettes convention in Nashville. She did a great job with her speech, oral Bible reading, Bible bowl, and song leading. Her team won first in the Bible Bowl which was a great accomplishment for them, considering they started studying late in the year and were younger than other teams. But the compliment that will most stick out to her mother and I will always be what the song leading judge said. Brooke did a great job leading her song, but she did not use her hand to direct the song, which cost her on the judging, so she did not place. But when one of the judges was lining up the girls for a picture, she noticed Brooke as being so tall. She then proceeded to say, “I want everyone to know this is the girl that sang with all the other girls as they lead their songs.”
That is our Brooke! She lives in a house with three boys. The older one is the most responsible 11 year old you could find. Her younger brother is full of bounding energy and always creating some type of havoc and attention. Then their is the baby, Caleb, who is just the three year old, last-child classic “baby’ of the family. Brooke is overshadowed many times in our home. But what does she do? She just keeps on singing with everyone else! She is her own special person who loves animals, day-dreams as only a little girl can, and manages to still be girly! She is usually happy to play what the boys want to play, holding her own in trampoline games and sporting events. She can be a great “tom-boy” out working on the farm with the family, but also a soft princess at the mall. She is growing in her role of imitating her mother as a cook. This week, while we were out exercising, she made us pancakes. Now we don’t eat normal pancakes at our house. We have an assortment of special diets, so she made egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free pancakes. How many grown women can do that? They were made from scratch and great to eat.
She is singing her own song and singing everybody else too! We are so thankful she is a part of our family chorus!
We love you Brooke!
P.S. The boys always say I treat you differently because you are a girl. They are right! I do treat you differently. You are supposed to be treated differently because you are a girl, never let the world say you are the same as boys! You have a special, God-given role as a girl and lady! You deserve and need such treatment because you are my sweet, precious daughter!
Brooke with her two Great Pyrenees Dogs and Caleb!
1 comment
We are so proud of your family. Brooke is a shining example of Godly parents who instill Christian beliefs in their children from the cradle to the grave. All of your children are examples and an inspiration to us as are you and Amanda. Ben often uses your family as examples when illustrating some teaching point. He doesn’t do Facebook but I pass along all the goodies you post. You are a blessing to our family.
Love you all.
Aunt Linda