HAPPY BIRTHDAY TORI!

Six years ago tommorow the girls started outnumbering the boy in the miller household. Tori entered the world and we have never been the same since. She is an amazing combination of beauty, strength (freaky strength), passion, and princess... all rolled into one. I suppose every year Tori gets a year older it will be sort of sad, but she has "aged" a lot in this year. She started school (which she loves), she started "liking" a boy (which her father and I definitely do not love), she became a big sister again (she is my biggest helper), and most importantly, she decided she wants to be a follower of God. She continues to amaze and frustrate me on a daily basis...

I had one of my proudest moments of Tori not so long ago... Her school was collecting money for kids with leukemia. They were supposed to bring in their spare change, so of course she asked if she could have MY spare change on the first day, which was fine. But the second day, she asked if she could empty HER piggy bank. Now I assumed that she was trying to win the pizza party that the class which brought in the most money won (Tori is very competitive- way to go, Jamie), and so I told her "ya know, your class might not win the pizza party- are you sure you want to bring ALL the money in your piggy bank?" (I'm not a bad person, I just wanted to avoid later drama when the piggy bank was empty) But she said, "I know mom, I just think the kids that are sick could use the money more than me." Now if you know anything about this girl's world you know at this moment I was crying. So we emptied the purple piggy bank that she has been filling for all 6 years of her life and she brought the money to school the next day. I don't think they won the pizza party- she hasn't said....but she does remember why she did it and she doesn't seem to have any regrets. Amazing what I have learned from a 6 year old.

Happy Birthday Tori! I love you and I am so proud to be your mom. Thank you for teaching me so much. You are a gift!