Happy Birthday Perla Renee!

This was in Hiroshima, Japan. She always been the leader of the pack!

A Preacher at a young age. She's always taken her work very seriously....

A few ballet steps on the sea wall in Japan. She didn't sing a lot but her feet were never long in one place.

I just wanted to throw in a few pictures from yester year. June 4th is almost upon us once again and my Pearl is yet another year older. I have been thinking of her for weeks- maybe as she is so far away and after her last visit, we all miss her so much. She adds so much joy and sparkles to the atmosphere where ever she goes.

I was thinking of how she actually started her life's journey in the driest desert on earth- the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile. It was such an incredibly unique place and that so well defines her personality. She was actually born during an exciting time, when Chile was under a State of Siege. Getting to the clinic under a white flag with minutes to spare, was exciting enough but then the table broke underneath me and I am not exactly sure how the rest of the delivery went. Then somehow I was convinced they had switched babies on me before I was able to see her. I was creating hovoc with the nurses and doctor. I was one frantic mom but then, at that time in Chile, there were some very wild stories about the government going around Chile. Fortunately, her daddy was right there, keeping a close eye on her and me at all times and assured me she was the "one". No mistake. Well, also she was the only baby in the hospital that night. Crazy me.

I so seldom panic.

Anyway,I have so much to say about her. I would be up all night and never begin to touch on all the joy she brought into our lives. I have seen over and over again how the Lord has had His hand on her life. She was actually born with one leg shorter than the other. The doctors informed me that they were going to put a cast on her at 6 months old and that she would have to lie still for a few months to get the joint back in place. It was a real case of- "As they went , they were healed."

I had a little Japanese cloth carrier (before the days of Baby Bjorn). She seemed to love being out of doors so I just strapped her to her dad every day as he went about the city, doing his work for the Lord. He carried her everywhere and she spent all day in that position, which turned out to be the healing factor. When it came time for them to put a cast on her, her legs were the same length. No cast needed. We were jumping with joy and Perla has been steaming ahead full blast ever since.

Her love of reading always amazed me. I have never seen a child ride a bike while reading or mowing a lawn while reading like she did. When I was a kid, I refined the art of horseback riding with a book in hand. To my credit, at least the horse had good eyes.

She would be hanging upside down from a tree" reading," rollerblading" reading" and when she got older, hiding a book beneath her school books "reading". So, I can honestly say, her knowledge always stunned me. If there were no books about, she would pick up anything available. I had to keep taking phone books away from her. If I needed to know something, I just asked Perla.

Well, now I hear she is writing. I can believe it.

She is so genuine, loving and kind. Wherever she is, and whomever she is with, you are blessed . However I do have to say, I miss her more and more as time goes by.

Happy Birthday Perla, just 1 day early!