Happy Birthday, Alexis!!

My granddaughter, Alexis Brionna, turns 14 today!  She is #2 in our lineup of 11 grandchildren.  She is the reason I started collecting so many dress-up clothes.  I had a few dresses to play with, but she would walk in our door and put on dress-up clothes and stay in them the whole time she was there.  She'd even sleep in them.  Soon, she had a favorite--she called it her "lemonade dress."  It was a Mexican flamenco dress with lemons on it--that's the one she slept in.  It was only fitting that she loved the flamenco dress--she loved to dance.

Alexis began ballet when she was about 4.  The year she was a pink lamb in Nutcracker was one of our favorites. 

She was a flower girl in Zach & Shanna's wedding.  You can imgaine how much she loved dressing up for this.  

Another year in Nutcracker.  She is definitely a ballerina--she has beautiful form and grace.

And even if she's not on stage, she's still dancing.

Something you might never know about Alexis is how much she loves animals--all animals!  She has a tender heart and would bring every animal home with her if she only had a farm to keep them on. I expect some day she will have a farm.

I think for 9 years running, Alexis has chosen to eat her birthday dinner at Kabuki.  And she's graduated to eating sushi.  

The interesting thing about Alexis is she loves to perform...but she hates attention.  The servers (and her family) were singing "Happy Birthday" to her and she tried to make the entire restaurant think her friend was the birthday girl.  One year, she just got up and went to the bathroom and stayed until the whole birthday song was over.

Alexis Brionna is a beautiful girl.  Her name means "To help, defend, strength, honor, noble, servant, ruler of the people."  I believe God has already put those things inside of Alexis and is growing her today to become a servant/ruler of the people.  She already is a great friend to people and animals--she helps them, defends them, is honorable, and trustworthy.  She is a good friend to have.  I know God has allowed things in her life which have only increased her strength and her determination to be a good friend.  She will protect her family and friends at all costs.  She will become a woman of great beauty and strength who will know how to serve others and will defend them with her life.  Because she is a great servant, she will be a beautiful leader and ruler.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALEXIS!

I Love You!

Gran