Faith turned eight years old on November 1.  Like every child, she was very excited to be another year older (I think that feeling stops at age 21).  We were going to have her birthday party at the new house, but a week before her birthday I had the realization that there was no way that we could have her party at the new house.  Thankfully, I was able to book her party at the roller skating rink, Kate Skate.  Faith loves to roller skate and I was hoping that her friends would enjoy it as well.  Most of them did.   Roller rinks have not changed much in the last thirty years.  They are exactly the same as you remember them – dark corners, old carpeting, wood floors, video games, and top 40 music.  The perfect place for an eight year old birthday party.

The birthday party guests were a mixture of new Metrolina friends, friends she misses from CDS and church friends.  Left to right: Jesse Youngs, Mia Watson, Kallie, Hadley and Campbell Homan, Kelsey Nelson, and Faith.

Faith really misses her old friends from CDS.  It was nice that some of them could be at her party.  Kelsey and Faith really miss each other….

Grandmama was the first guest to arrive and one of the last to leave.  She and Faith have a sweet relationship.  Grandmama loves to watch Faith interact with her friends and have fun. (Faith is into making funny faces now, if you can’t tell.)  

For me, the best part of the party was spending time with Faith.  Even during her birthday party, with her friends around her, she still sought out my attention.  She wanted me to skate with her and to hold my hand.  I loved it!  She and I would hold hands while slinging each other forward so that we could go faster.  We even did the Hokie-Pokie together (although not my favorite dance song).
  

There has been a lot going on in our lives over the last three months.  Faith needed a special day with her friends.  She needed to do something fun and something that made her feel important and loved.  This birthday party was just what she needed.

Faith is such a sweet and caring little girl.  She is quick to console a friend that is sad or needs help.   She loves to play school and play with her dolls.  I know that switching schools has been difficult for her, but it has made her more self-assured and more confident.  She knows who she is and what she enjoys in life.  I admire her imagination and her enthusiasm for life.  My oldest baby is growing up and I am very proud of who she is and who she will be.