Happy Almost Bday LU!

June 19, 2014

Lu and cotton candy--which maybe should have been her middle name:
Lu Cotton-Candy Meehan
(Wow, does that bambina LOVE her cotton candy.)

Happy almost-Bday Lu!

We are so excited to celebrate your 11th Birthday with you!

We hope it's a beautiful day/week and that you know how special you are to all of the people who love your guts (our family, your extended family, your friends, and your birthfamily--that's a lot of love for one kiddo!).

In honor of your Bday, I thought it would be fun to list some of the things we LOVE about you at this age:

Top 11 Things We Love About Lu

1. She wakes up happy.

2. She is happy 99.9% of the time.
Not your average happy--a kind of JOYFUL happy.

3. She's always--always--willing to help her siblings.
Lost wallet? She's the first to help them find it. Need someone to get the mail? She's on it. Need someone to water the garden or deliver bread? She's the first to offer.

4. She's thoughtful.

I think there's a possibility Lu is an "old soul." For as long as we have been with her, since age 5--which is tiny-tiny, she has seemed to have an understanding and maturity that is well beyond her age. She thinks deeply about other people and tries to understand things that sometimes seem beyond someone of her age. I think this is a blessing because this trait makes he an incredible support and help to those who know her.

5. She's generous.

Lu is almost always thinking of ways to help family and friends. Anytime I say something about offering help or donate to others (even something like $1.00 in a missionary card), she offers her own time/money. It's pretty cute, and entirely genuine.

6. She loves candy.

And when I say LOVE, I mean this girl could eat candy morning, noon, and night. It makes her smile. (And fortunately, she brushes her teeth and listens when we tell her "no, you can't have Skittles and Sprite for breakfast.")

7. She's not a big meat/chicken/fish fan.

I think this is probably just a preference, but I imagine she will eat very little meat in her lifetime. It's just not something she likes. (But she loves beans, so we are good on protein.)

8. She's is Zu's BFF.

She has friends she loves, and she's close to all of her siblings, but I really believe she and Zu were meant to be BFFs here on Planet E. I always say that they were twins separated at birth and reunited in Kindergarten (when we were able to adopt Lu and Jr.). There's really never, ever, a time when we don't see them together.

9. She has a love for France/Paris.

Something about her just LOCKED on the Eiffel Tower and poodles and the things she learns about Paris, France. I fully expect her to visit there one day, if not live there. She loves it.

10. She's hopeful and forgiving.

I think life is sometimes a little overwhelming for us all. And in some cases, like in our family--where adoption has played a major part in our lives--there's a possibility that life can seem heavy. Adoption (like other major life-experiences) is a kinda deep subject: there are complicated emotions around it. And it's hard to imagine a young mind processing it all. Or genuinely loving a new family after 5 years of living with your birthfamily.

But Lu seems to have an incredible grasp on adoption, forgiveness, and enduring love. She's an open heart--and from the first time we met her, she was WILLING to accept all that the future held. And I think that's a testament to her spirit and her hopefulness. And I know those traits are gifts. They will, and have, blessed her, her families, and the future people she meets in life. I see her as someone who will relate to others' challenges and be a support.

11. She loves animals.
We're pretty sure she is allergic to every animal with hair, BUT that doesn't stop her from caring for, and loving, all animals. If Lu doesn't become a vet (with Zu--in a joint practice), then I'm pretty sure she will live on a farm OR have 12 cats. For reals!

We heart you Lu. You're a special spirit. Boom!

Now, here's a few photos of the nearly 11 years-old Lu: