Happy 8th Birthday to Gracie . . . and what a day it was!!

So, she started her day with a bang, literally, slipped down her ladder while trying to climb down from her top bunk and hit her head. "Happy Birthday, Gracie!" After that her day picked up with her favorite breakfast (banana bread) and a trip to the library for our little bookworm. Then mommy and Gracie went to get her hair cut, which she has been committed to and growing for about 2 years now because she wanted to donate it to Locks of Love. She HATES having long hair, but committed and stuck to it, so as much as it pained me to see her hair getting cut so short, I truly admire her heart and commitment. She was thrilled, and then we all joined daddy down at the church building for lunch. After lunch Daddy took her on some errands and she got to exchange some books she had gotten for her b-day (ones she already had) and spend some of her b-day money. She was having a great day! Then her favorite dinner (chicken, mashed pot., gravy, corn, corn muffins), cake, and present time. She got mostly books as reading is what she loves to do most. She also got The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian on DVD.

The overalls and western shirt were a gift from her grandparents - she loves them! In fact, they were a replacement for ones she grew out of and wanted more!

So,we were all done with her party and were settling down to watch Prince Caspian. Gracie was in her top bunk looking at her books and Daddy warned her not to lean on her bed rail - it'll keep her from rolling out of bed at night, but it's not designed to hold her full weight.

Well, Gracie decided to end her b-day with another bang . . . again, literally. Not two minutes after that I hear crying and run into her room where her bed rail is popped down and she's on the floor. Apparently, she sat back against the rail and fell backwards landing on her head! After getting her calmed down and figuring out what was going on with her (how much was pain and how much was fear), she and I headed to the ER for the rest of her birthday evening. She was absolutely miserable, but the head catscan and x-ray of her neck showed do damage. She's not allowed to do any "close eye work" today, which means no school for her today, but it also means she can't read any of her books, which I know is really hard for her!

All in all, a birthday that I'm sure she will never forget! And we are thanking the Lord not only for entrusting her to us 8 years ago, but for His continued care and protection of her!