future dreams of a little girl

Lately Ali has been thinking a lot about growing up and talking more and more about the things she wants to do, and wants to be, and how she would like it all to work out. (I've even caught her saying her first name with the last name of a boy that is her friend)

I had such a sweet moment with her the other day and she decided to tell me all about how her life will be when she is a grown up. I tried to jot down what she said so I could keep it forever and one day she'll be able to look back at her childhood dreams of her future. There is nothing more precious to hold on to.

She wants a little house (a nice one, not an old one), with cherry blossom trees all around and flowers. And she'll work in her garden and keep it looking nice. She will also have a canopy with ivy growing over it, so she can sit under it when it's nice outside. She wants to put her easel up by a window in her house so she can look outside as she paints.

She will go to VA Tech so she can become a veterinarian. As long as it's ok with me that she doesn't go to JMU. bless her heart. She'll work as a veterinarian during the week and do art on the weekends.

She has described her wedding... full of family and friends.. a big white dress. She would like Aunt Hannah to be her flower girl :) Julianna will be her maid of honor. Then I'll sit on the seat with Grandmama and Grandaddy. And Daddy will walk her down the aisle. She says her husband will love her very much (like daddy loves mommy) *my heart was so happy at that moment*, and they will both love Jesus. She thinks she might want 4 children, but she'll have to wait to see. But she is very excited about having her own baby to love.

She wants a turtle, a cat and a "mommy" dog. She'll let the dog have one set of puppies, which she'll keep, and then she'll take the "baby thing" out. Which she then told me that she'll be able to do that herself since she's going to be a veterinarian. And she will have to take the "baby thing" out because she doesn't want 1,000 puppies!

It was so beautiful to sit with her and watch her dream about her future and her plans. I pray that her heart always stays open to dreaming and that she can hold on to what is precious to her. I pray that her heart never gets hardened by life, and that she keeps her childhood sweetness well into adulthood.

We love you Ali!
Love, Daddy & Mommy