Dear Kenna,
Oh my little brown-eyed lass, how I love you. I loved 6 year old you and I think 7 year old you and I are going to get along just fine. You are a gentle, kind, huge-hearted girl and you make our family so much more fun with your silly faces and your incredible hugs. You're an absolute treasure and everyone who meets you falls in love with you.
This year has been a great year for our family. We had a super fun spring break trip to Sri Lanka. We stayed in this snug little bungalow steps from the beach. You made friends with hermit crabs and soaked up so much sun on the beach. You could have played in the enormous waves all day every day. They were the biggest waves we've seen yet as a family and we had to be a little careful with you and your sister. You'd come out with your dad and I in our arms until we were too tired to hold you and get smashed by the waves and then you'd head back to the beach and play in the waves where you could touch. You found countless shells that you piled up on our porch. You built sand castles and motes and swimming pools in the sand. We had a really restorative trip as a family.
Our summer in the U.S. was really busy this year. We went to Denver then saw Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, then we visited the Larsons in Kentucky for just a day. I think Ziggy remembered you and Taryn and tried his best to stay out of your reach. Cute little pup. Then we drove to Virginia where Kenzie, Trevan and Tucker were spending their summer to meet your new cousin baby Marlee. She was the cutest little squish and you were spellbound holding her in your arms. She's very lucky to have you as a big girl cousin and you're so lucky to have her too. You adore babies and you'll be so good to her as she grows up.
Next we drove to DC where we spent a very full few days with Nana and Grandpa exploring all the museums and monuments. We'd done some research projects to prepare and I have been so looking forward to taking you kids to DC and learning about American history. You did your presentation on the Lincoln monument and were so proud of all the little facts you learned. We walked miles and miles every day in the hot summer sun but you and your siblings were troopers. At the end of one long day we found a shallow pool to splash in and you and your sibling had such a great time cooling off and making friends with new kids.
After DC we went to Pennsylvania to tour Gettysburg with Adam and Cami and their kids. Then after a quick day in Philadelphia we drove to New Hampshire for the end of our repat. It was a very full summer with to much driving but you guys absolutely adore audio books so we made our way through a couple throughout the summer and you guys were fantastic sports about all the car time.
Our last trip of your 6th year was to France with Mallo and Carson. With a new strain of COVID on the rise things were starting to shut down left and right but we made it in and made it home just in time. We spent one day in Luxembourg and then drove to Paris. We explored museums, spent two days at Disney, and wandered around Paris seeing the sights and stopping frequently for snacks. After a few days in Paris we went skiing in La Bresse. Oh Kenna girl you took off this year. It it astounding to me every time we take you skiing how quickly you can pick it up again! It's not a natural experience for me but you kids just get better every time even though we ski so infrequently. You had lessons a couple of mornings and then you went up the mountain with us for the first time this year. You were so fearless. I was more worried about your ability to control your speed and direction than your dad was. You just liked to point your skis down the mountain and go. We tried to convince you that turning to burn off speed and maintain a bit more control was the ticket but you didn't always want to ski that way. We ended the days so tired and so satisfied. There's something really filling and exciting about learning something new and getting better at it.
Kenna you're a pretty good little eater. You can do without most vegetables but you LOVE fruits. You eat bananas every day. You love pears and mango and papaya most of all. You'll eat handfuls of berries when we buy them. You're not super excited about meat. It just takes you so long to chew and you always chew with your front teeth, a habit we're trying to adjust. You've started to get a little bit feistier about foods for dinner than you don't enjoy but usually you'll just sit with us and not eat if you don't care for what we're having. You love juice but don't like soda. You love cookies but can't stand marshmallows. You like cake but don't love frosting. You're a funny little lady.
This year you've absolutely taken off in reading. You started picking it up last year in Kindergarten with Mr. Graham. Man, he was such a great teacher. He navigated all the ups and downs of a complicated COVID school year with such determination and positivity. There were phases of virtual school for every class but that last month or two of school I think your class was in quarantine three times. It was so hard. And you just made it back to school for the last two days of in-person class of the year. Eesh, I'm glad that's over with. It was really fun to have just one kiddo home to spend time with after their few hours of virtual school was done, but the constant uncertainty of whether or not you'll be going to school was really hard for everyone. This year you're in first grade with Ms. Michie. She's such a good fit for you, Kenna. I feel like we've been oh so lucky. She adores you, as she should, and she also knows how to push you just a little outside of your comfort zone so you can grow. At the beginning of the year she told you that you were ready for writing paper with more lines and smaller pictures and that you were capable of writing more than two pages in a book. She said she circled back to you a few minutes later and you looked a little teary. She helped you get started and expressed her confidence in your writing abilities and then you just took off. You've become such an incredible little writer this year. It's so fun to see you come alive with ideas and just HAVE to get some paper to write a new story RIGHT NOW! You're also constantly reading. Your dad and I have started taking pictures of different items you use around the house as bookmarks when you're in the middle of a book and have to go somewhere you just grab whatever is nearby to stick in your book because you are loath to lose your spot. You've used remotes, bowls, rolls of tape, a container of quinoa, anything and everything. It's darling. You always have a book in your hand. On the bus, in the car, often at the store too and you really try to sneak them to the table for mealtime. Every day there are more books scattered around the house as books from the library migrate down in your hands.
This year you tried coach pitch baseball in the spring with Coach Paul as your coach. I think you liked hanging out with your friends just as much as you liked playing baseball. You weren't super serious but you enjoyed having something to do. You loved when Finn or your dad would make time to play catch with you or throw a ball so you could swing a bat. It makes you feel so important to be part of a fun sport.
You have good little buddies. You often come home from school with notes from classmates saying that you're the best friend ever and it makes you so happy. You write notes and draw pictures for people constantly. Being kind to people is a natural gift and something that just lights you up inside. Once you came home from school practically leaping through the door, flung your arms out wide and shouted, "I have so many FRIENDS!!!!" It was so sweet. And true. Anyone who knows you, loves you. You've had a few best buddies here in Saudi who have been easy friends because our families line up so nicely and they'll all leave this year. I think that will be a challenge for you and for our family to lose the Arnolds and Weitzels. Addie, Lucette and Clara have been your buddies practically your whole life. But I know you'll be okay because you are so good at making friends.
Kenna, you are a special little lady in our family. You always have a sweet note or a big hug and kind word for anyone who is struggling or sad. You can read the mood in the room and I can practically see you soaking it up. You've gotten a little more defiant and assertive this year, which is so frustrating at times but I'm also a little proud of you. You've been so easy going and it's nice to see you standing up for yourself and putting your foot down a little more, trying to figure out how strong you can be and how much you can do. It's been good to see the strength with the sugary sweet. You're a good sister. You and Taryn get a long most of the time and sometimes you're non-stop arguing because there's no one in the world who knows you better and knows how to push your buttons faster than Taryn, and you, miss Kenna, know just how to push hers too. You two could craft for hours together at the table. You love to read books and often get lost in the library and we find you surrounded by a pile of books you've been through. You get a long really well with your brothers. You love when they play with you. You love playing card games together, especially cover your assets and sleeping queens. You also love to watch them play video games and comment on how good they're doing or suggesting their next move. You're a supportive and kind sister and we are very aware of how lucky we are to have you on our little family team.
Kenna, we love you so much, babe. You're growing up to be such an incredible little lady. You love to dress up but don't love the time and inconvenience of curling your hair. You love fancy dresses but prefer cozy leggings and tee-shirts. You are energetic and playful and you also love to snuggle up under a quilt and watch a movie. Alone time with Mom and Dad makes you so happy, and you're also a great family team player. It's so hard to believe that you'll be 8 years old and ready to be baptized next year. It's been a phenomenal year, miss K. I'm excited to see what you'll do and how you'll amaze us next.
We love you so much, Kenna girl. Happiest birthday, little lady.
The world is yours,
Momma
