Jovie is NINE

 My most precious Jovie Kalei,

You just officially turned 9 a few minutes ago and I am absolutely blown away. Right this second you are watching Zombies 4 in the incredible backyard oasis tent that your big kids set up for you complete with lights, blankets, speakers, popcorn, and a large monitor for your viewing pleasure!

NINE. How in the world are you nine?!? I swear it was just yesterday that you were the tiniest little thing, pointing at everything, blowing giant open mouth kisses, making your ridiculous little faces, and somehow convincing every single person in this family to do absolutely anything you wanted. And somehow, not that much has changed. 😂 You may be bigger and smarter and more independent, but you are still completely and totally Jovie. You still have this giant personality packed into your little body. You are hilarious and spunky and sweet and sassy and SO much fun. You feel things deeply, love people fiercely, and bring an energy into every room that is impossible to ignore.

Jovie, you have always had this incredible ability to bring JOY. It is so perfectly fitting that we named you Jovie because joy just pours out of you. Your smile takes over your entire face. Your laugh is contagious. Your excitement makes everything more exciting. Somehow a normal day becomes an adventure when you’re involved. You have this amazing ability to make people feel loved and wanted and important, and I hope you never, ever lose that.

One of my favorite things about watching you grow up is seeing the relationship you have with your big kids. Zack and Hallie have adored you since the moment you entered this world and you absolutely adore them right back. Tonight is such a perfect picture of that. They didn’t just set up a tent for you. They created an entire little world because they wanted your birthday to feel magical. And OF COURSE you are happily sitting inside of it watching Zombies 4 like this is exactly how life is supposed to work! 😂 You have had those two wrapped around your finger since you were born, and I’m pretty sure you know it.

But underneath all of the silliness and sass and gigantic personality is such a tender heart. You love deeply. You notice people. You care about people. You have a sweetness in you that I pray you hold onto forever. The world will tell you a million different things about who you’re supposed to be, what you’re supposed to look like, what matters, and what makes you valuable. But sweet girl, I hope you always know that none of those things define you. You were created intentionally and perfectly by a God who knew every single thing about you before I ever got the privilege of knowing you.

And what an incredible privilege it is.

Nine years ago tonight, you came flying into this world and completely changed ours. I couldn’t possibly have understood then who that tiny 7lb baby would become. I didn’t know how funny you would be. I didn’t know how fiercely you would love. I didn’t know how many dance parties we’d have or adventures we’d take or how many times you’d make us laugh until our stomachs hurt. I just knew that I loved you more than I could possibly explain.

Nine years later, I still can’t explain it.

I look at you sometimes and wish I could freeze time. I want to bottle up nine-year-old Jovie and keep her forever. I want to remember your voice and your laugh and your expressions. I want to remember what makes you laugh so hard you can’t breathe. I want to remember the things that you think are SO important right now. I want to remember you running around the house, snuggling up next to me, annoying your siblings, making us laugh, and filling every corner of our lives with YOU.

But I also cannot wait to see what comes next.

Because Jovie Kalei Pentz, I have believed since you were a tiny baby that God put something extraordinary inside of you. I don’t know exactly what your life will look like. I don’t know where you’ll go or what you’ll do or who you’ll become. But I know that you have been given an enormous capacity to love people, to bring joy, to be brave, and to shine light into dark places.

And so, just like I have since you were tiny, I pray this prayer over your life…

Jesus,

I lift up my sweetest baby girl to you. In my weakness and shortcomings as a mom, you are so very strong. You have created an absolute masterpiece in Jovie Kalei Pentz. I am constantly in awe at the wonder of who she is. She is wild and crazy, yet gentle and loving. She is gorgeous beyond words and precious beyond measure. Jesus, take her precious life and hold it so close to your heart. It is my deepest desire that she would come to know you and the power of your resurrection. That she would love and serve you and love and serve your people with every fiber of her being. And that she would be deeply loved in return.

Jesus, raise her up to be a mighty woman that stands for the good of all and points people to you. May she fight for justice, mend the brokenhearted, break barriers, and love deeply. May you lead her, guide her, and let your amazing grace fall upon her as she fights back the darkness for your name. Jesus, give her incredible confidence and strength as she pursues the life that you have called her to.

Oh Lord, it is my greatest honor and privilege to be her mom. I dream of the day that I will hear her name announced as she walks across the stage to receive her high school diploma, and then her college diploma and beyond. I can picture it now, seeing sweet Jovie in a white gown as the most beautiful bride. Jesus, I pray for her future spouse, that he would love her like you do and lay his life down for his bride. And I have tears in my eyes even now as I imagine the day that Jovie becomes a mom and instantly knows this crazy and incredible love that I feel for her.

Jesus, thank you so much for her precious life. Thank you for the gift that she is to our family. Lead her. Guide her. Let your grace wash upon her. She is your beautiful daughter and I am humbled at this opportunity to love her every day of her life.

Amen.

Jovie girl, tonight you are NINE. And somehow I simultaneously want to scoop you up and turn you back into that tiny baby and fast forward twenty years just so I can see the incredible woman you become. But for now, I am going to soak up every second of nine-year-old you.

Keep laughing. Keep dancing. Keep being ridiculous. Keep loving people. Keep asking questions. Keep dreaming enormous dreams. Keep that giant personality. Keep your tender heart. Keep being exactly who God created you to be.

You are one of the greatest gifts of my entire life, and there will never be a day that I am not ridiculously grateful that I get to be your mom.

Happy 9th Birthday, my precious Jovie Kalei.

Love you to the moon, around all the stars, and back to home.

Mom