Our First Birthday Celebration

To those who don't directly know my family and I, I have three younger siblings: Lydia (14), Julia (12), Jonathan (5). Today, our family experienced a first. The first birthday celebrated without Daddy. Julia turned 12 today, and she and Dad spent a lot of time together. When she was nine, Dad started researching how to pitch in softball, and thus he taught her. At first, he just did it to see how she would do. If you know anything about my Dad, however, you would know that he was very passionate. He was either all in or all out. Well, he was all in with teaching Julia to pitch. She took pitching lessons, and eventually got so good that she was asked to join a travel ball team. Together, they would spend hours practicing, taking lessons, and talking about how to get better even at the dinner table. He was slightly obsessed (ok, very obsessed) but it was his stress reliever and Julia is very passionate about softball.

This blog is dedicated to my youngest sister on her very special birthday. With all that has happened, she has remained very strong and I have learned a lot about her. She is not very touchy-feely when it comes to hugs and such. If you ask her her opinion on something, she will give you straight honesty without beating around the bush. In sad and lonely situations, she knows how to make you laugh. Even that first long night, she kept us laughing with random crazy things she would say. For example, at the beach last week, we were all on the same bed one night talking and sadly remembering, when Julia shows us the hilarious music videos she had looked up that day. She had us rolling with her music video impressions!

One thing especially that Julia has that this world needs, is confidence in who Jesus has made her to be. She's not worried about what her friends might say to something she does or wears. She is different from most girls her age because on one hand, she's artistic and girly, but on the other she is a fierce competitor (like her Daddy!). But neither side of her personality stop her from doing what she wants to do and is called to do. I think her confidence in Jesus is what has helped her handle Dad's death so well. Yes, she has been sad and cried like everyone else, but at the same time, she is not afraid of the future. She is ready to move on! 

Happy birthday, Julia! I know sometimes we clash, but do not ever change who you are! I love you so much!