Happy Birthday Hali !!!

I'm trying to keep all my posts in chronological order, but I'll jump ahead this once to commemorate Hali's 5th Birthday.  We were planning a celebration on Sunday (because her birthday was on the 5th) when on Saturday morning, she said, "Why don't we have my party today, so that Sunday can be special for the Lord's day?"  This was a great idea since we actually had the opportunity to go to a real church while in the capital city.  I got started to work.  A few decorations like banners and balloons, along with some birthday napkins I found here and candy too made the place really look like a party.  We planned a tea party, and got everything set up and ready.  I made a chocolate cake, iced it with Nutella, and topped it with the number 5 candle that I bought in England.  We wrapped the few presents we brought back for her, and had a wonderful time talking about all the past birthday parties we have had while sipping tea.  It was quite a treat.  Hali was thrilled to have received a new 'princess dress' as her favorite past time has become dressing up and having tea parties. 

In honor of Hali's "Golden Birthday", here are 5 things I love about her, 

5.  Enthusiasm!  When that girl gets excited about something, boy does she get excited!  That includes work and play.  

4.  Imagination - She has a bigger imagination than her 3 older siblings put together. 

3.  Her refined sense of smell and taste -When she was 3, one of her famous lines became "What's that smell?" Although this can be a downer in a place like Chad where you are not always guaranteed to like the smells and tastes of new things around you, it can also be an advantage.  I think it is a gift she will use someday.

2.  Her memory - She has an incredible memory.  She is often the first member of our family to say a memorized Bible Verse.  In no time she will have memorized more scripture than me.  

1.  Her smile! - If you ask her to smile, she will give you the biggest grin you can imagine.  And then she will stop and show you that the front right tooth (the one she banged a long time ago, and now gets randomly wiggly if she sucks her thumb for extended periods of time and is slightly grey, and probably will fall out sometime)  is just a little loose.  Then she will skip away singing some random song in her head.