Our Teresa, named after Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Therese of Lisieux, Saint Teresa Benedicta and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (yes, all of them, we simply couldn't choose between them!), has always loved flowers. It just fits her personality so well. When she was younger, and even still now, she finds flowers irresistible. She has to take them in, smell them, pick them and gather them together into beautiful arrangements for her mother. With Teresa, even the dandelions are brought to life with beautiful arrangements!
One day this week I was heading out for an early morning walk, taking Erin along with me in the stroller. Teresa was up early and wanted to go. I warned her that I was going to walk an hour and she may have a hard time keeping up. She was still determined to go, so off we went. As we walked along, she talked and talked and talked some more. She jumped from subject to subject, explaining detailed events, all the while taking in all of her surroundings. She reminded me of a mix between Anne of Green Gables and Pollyanna. Her mind raced. She explained that daisies smell like baby diapers but look beautiful. She wondered why snapping turtles snap. She contemplated what would happen to one's furniture if he or she died. She retold the fun she had at her friend Clare's house on Sunday. Each story was told with great enthusiasm and I cherished each one. Every now and then, she'd jog along, to keep up with my pace. And a few times along the way, she actually took a breath; maybe even ten. This is a child in great cardiovascular shape. How do I know this? Because as we were nearing the top of Snake Hill, the winding, steep hill that seems to go on and on, I noticed that she was not even slightly out of breath. She tackled Snake Hill all the while giving a detailed description of the Prince Caspian movie that she had seen two weeks before. I was catching my breath, walking in slow motion by the time we reached the top, and I hadn't spoken a word.
That's our Teresa. Our petite fourth daughter who has taken on the nickname Hoogaboos since she was a baby. She has brought us such joy! We love you Teresa! God blessed us when He sent you into our lives! HAPPY NINTH BIRTHDAY!
