Thursday, March 24, 2011

Half and Half

She wasted time tonight looking for her little blue puppy that went missing because she "just couldn't sleep without it". "She is the littlest of all my animals, mom, and if I don't find her she'll be....lonely."

That's my girl. Still a child in so many ways.

Today she is 9.

She reads books about the famous, historical men of Greece and Rome. She constantly gives me little bits of trivia after she has read these books, which is the third time for each one.

Her interests are that of a girl much older than 9.

She runs her legs off around the racetrack while I play volleyball. In between her laps she (and her brother) stop at an area with a platform and play office, school, church, and any number of games. They then carry on running around the track.

She is a 9-year-old girl again.

She picks my brain about geography, history, Japan, tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes.....all in a DAY. Not a week or month. Her intelligence is greater (I believe) than the average girl of her age, simply because of her insatiable curiousity and thirst for knowledge. I tell her constantly that when I was nine, the only thing I cared about was sports and television. I NEVER read.

She seems older than her age.

She encloses herself in her brother's bedroom so the two of them can form their own band: Drums, xylophone, flute, tamborine......all the toys I have stupidly neglected to remove from her brother's room. Yet.

She is once again a carefree girl of 9.

She works hard. She earns her own money delivering flyers. She keeps her little monthly allotment in her purse and carefully chooses what she will spend it on. She is beginning to understand the value of not throwing her money carelessly away now that she has actually earned it herself.

In that regard she is more mature than a lot of adults.

She cleans a part of her room......she runs to the piano to play a tune......she sneakily reads couple of pages in one of her latest books.....she helps her brother fix this or that......she runs down to the freezer to grab me a loaf of bread.....she runs back to her starting point - her bedroom - to try to accomplish a little more.

She is fiercely determined to figure things out on her own - like her dad. She is just as determined to throw in the towel when she hits a road block - like her mom. It depends on the situation and her self-belief.

She is a paradox.

That is my girl. Half child and half teenager. Forgetful AND organized. She walks around in a dreamy state AND compiles lists to help remember things. She loves her brother to distraction AND fights with him passionately. She obeys me most of the time AND completely disobeys......very occasionally.

I get tears writing about her. She is everything my mother's heart could ever hope for. She is loyal. Affectionate. Smart. Determined. Beautiful. Warm-hearted. Kind. Compassionate.

She is 9 today. Jesus knows - I love her so.

7 comments:

V said...

This was so beautiful, Darla. It made me think of the letters and cards my mom wrote me when I was around this age. I hold them near and dear to my heart.

Happy Birthday sweet Hannah!!

Laura said...

Reading this got me teary eyed this morning. I honestly cannot wait to see what kind of woman she becomes. I know that with Jesus she will be an awesome one!

Katrina Holmes (Tina) said...

That, Darla, was simply beautiful. You are a great writer!
you have an awesome way of expressing yourself!

Unknown said...

Thank you ladies for your kind words.

Laura said...

You know she had an awesome time on her birthday when you find out Hannah told Bro. Chris all the details and said that it was "just perfect"!

Rachel Goff said...

Happy birthday, sweet girl!!
Darla, your post reminded me of Anne Shirley of Green Gables. What a blessing you have!!

Unknown said...

Anne of Green Gables!!! Wow!! That is a compliment, Rachel. I LOVE Anne!