Our little New Year's baby

Today is Noelle's birthday, she is nine. NINE! I can't believe it. I can still see her toddling around the house with a little fountain of blonde hair spouting out of a rubberband on the top of her little two year old head.

Noelle was born during a season of winter in our lives. We were living in North Dakota, the state of perpetual blizzards. Over five hundred miles away from family, in a tiny little university apartment, we waited for our baby. We were young and poor and excited to meet our second child. A week overdue, but perfectly timed, she was a New Year's baby and was showered with gifts from all around town. Her ride home from the hospital was a free ride in a white limousine, and we didn't even have the cash to tip the poor driver.

Little Welly was a ray of sunshine in a bleak time in our lives. She is a ray of sunshine in the bright times too. One day, she will be the best cheerleader/lifeguard/pet shop owner that this world has ever seen. Happy Birthday to our little optimist.