Dear Arianna, (6 years)

Dear Arianna,

This year has been a little less eventful, than our past years. You haven't moved or had any new foster siblings, but you have continued to grow in wonderful ways. 
I love that you continue to entertain yourself so well. Your imaginative play takes you into your own world where animals can do anything and everything and made-up songs are always involved. You continue to question, and not just surface questions, but deep questions that most adults don't think about. 
You have continued in your piano lessons and started playing the violin. Your love for music continues to grow and you are the happiest when you are singing, dancing or listening to music (or doing all three).
You got to go to the beach twice this year, which has really fed your love of the movie Moana and shells. 
You lost your first teeth this year and each one has been a bit of a traumatic event, but as soon as we got them out you were ecstatic!
You also learned how to ride a bike without training wheels.  Which was not a traumatic experience at all!
You continue to grow and are now over 4 feet tall. We have never been able to keep up with you ;)
You have had some struggles. Your fear of bathrooms and showers has grown and you need someone to accompany you (which I guess most girls need anyway).  
Arianna, the light you have brought into our lives grows brighter all the time. As you have gotten older the depth of personality makes me look forward to our conversations. I am excited for your future. You have already made such a difference in the lives around you, I can only imagine the impact you will have as you get older.  
With all my love,
Mom

We did a Gingerbread decorating party for your birthday with a Moana cake...you had so many friends and way too much sugar!

For about 10 days these bestie/cousins are the same age!

We got the first snow of the season on your birthday!

We have continued the tradition...every year we go to Krispy Kream and get a doughnut to remember the night that Ari was born. I was standing in line to get my hot doughnut when my phone rang, and I found out Ari was on her way!

 

Piano Recital

Ari had her first piano recital! We love her teacher and she has been taking for almost a year now. She had a break down before we went and insisted that she would not play, but her teacher, very wisely, had balloons. As soon as Ari saw the balloon she got excited and decided to play. She still wanted Ben to sit next to her, but she did great!    

 This was from the Sunday of the Primary Program. It was my first as Primary president in the Southern Hills ward. Things went well. Deven remembered his part and spoke clearly, Ari sang the songs but when it came time to speak she was too scared. We will try again next year!

Fall/Halloween

My dad bought the kids costumes for Halloween. Ari was a monarch butterfly and Deven was a light up beetle. They turned out great! We went to a local pumpkin patch to pick out their pumpkins and had a fun time carving them. We did a neighborhood Halloween parade…I wish I had gotten more pictures, but I led the parade with music and then we had hot chocolate 😊

 

Wedding

Arianna’s birthmother got married and Ari was lucky enough to be the flower girl. I was afraid that she would get to nervous, but she did great! We stopped in Kansas city to play at Science city on the way up. It was a great weekend. 

I forgot Ari's Sunday shoes so we had to run to Walmart...she loved the cow girl boots the best