Sissi is 11 years old!
It took me a few days to get caught up and do this blog post because life has been so crazy with her injury. What? You didn't know she got hurt, well, let me tell you what happened.
A week before her birthday, Sissi and Indy were off doing their horse riding lessons and Sissi's horse slipped on a wet patch of earth and fell, on Sissi's leg. At first, we were certain it must be broken, but after two sets of x-rays and several doctors and specialists taking a look, it was determined that it was just a really bad sprain. Thank the Lord for wet earth that gives way and a child's bones that are mostly made of cartilage, things seem to have bent with the weight of the horse and not broken, but merely stretched her tendons and ligaments to their extreme.
She has been on bed rest and needing lots of help to accomplish even the most basic of tasks. She is pretty exhausted and not feeling 100%, but we're so thankful for the miracle of His grace in her accident!
Her birthday crept up on us in the midst of her recovery and we had to make some changes to the plan...which had been to meet up with some friends at a local water park for the day. Take a look at the pictures and I think her smile will tell you that she still had a pretty great day.
The table, all set up the night before her birthday!
With her friend, Vicky.
Vicky, got her a stuffed elephant.
And, she knows how much Sissi loves crafts, so a friendship bracelet kit.
Also, a how to draw dogs kit.
Her friend Anna was also able to come to our house.
Anna also got her some crafts, a color your own purse kit.
And, more drawing sets.
Of course, any artist needs a good "Paris" notebook and a cool puzzle pen to sketch and draw things.
We set up the sewing machine and the girls used some scrap cloth I had to make some clothes for the new stuffed elephant, now named Tori (after Vicky, whose real name is Victoria.)
The finished product.
Then, they watched "Phantom of the Opera" (which I didn't take pictures of) and went outside to squirt water on each other since they couldn't make it to the water park.
The day ended with burgers and milkshakes and lemonade at Rick's Diner, a new 50's style diner in Bishkek.
The following morning we celebrated as a family...with doing our usual sharing around the table, "** Things We Love About *****."
Her big gift this year was getting riding boots and chaps. I pray she gets to use them. The plan was to get serious this year with her riding and so we felt it was worth the investment to get her some proper riding gear. We're all still praying about whether or not the lessons will be able to continue.
Sissi with her new chaps.
Some comics that we brought with us. The kids love the regularity of getting comics every year on their birthday and at Christmas.
And, another entry in our ever expanding Disney pin collection. I bought a bunch of pins on eBay last year and brought them with us for birthdays and Christmas. For Sissi, she has received 2 of the 3 Oswald pins I purchased for her.
And, the fun gift, that Mommy made for her....and elephant pillow. It is named Josephine!
She wanted an ice cream cake for her birthday, so I made a classic Hershey's chocolate cake and cut it in half. We put ice cream in the middle and M&M's and then put the other half of the cake back on top. It's covered in homemade chocolate frosting and whipped cream! It was super yummy!
Happy, happy birthday, to my sweetest, kindest, and loveliest girl!
We are so grateful for you and pray His amazing blessings continue to follow you now and forever!
