Hope is 5!!!!

Upon awakening this morning, Hope discovered a brand new, shiny princess bicycle outside her door. Her morning schedule was busy this morning going on a birthday donut run with Dad and taking numerous phone calls from her admiring fans. I spent the morning with her at preschool and marveled at how quickly five years passes. I've continued a tradition I started with Gracie and wrote a letter thanking God for the gift of Hope. Pun intended :-)

Dear Jesus,

What a beautiful gift you gave us five years ago when Hope Alyssa Cornelius arrived. She added more laughter and cuteness to our family, and has continued to do so. Hope got her name from some significant sources and she enjoys hearing the story. While I was pregnant with Hope, Brent's track coach from college was saying goodbye to his 15-year-old daughter Alyssa. She had a brain tumor and her parents chronicled her story throughout her ordeal. During this time, Brent was training for the 1/2 marathon and in the midst of his training runs he would pray for Alyssa - thinking it appropriate to pray while running - something his track coach would've approved of :-). He came up with the idea of Hope Alyssa in honor of Alyssa Smelley. She kept her hope in her Savior enduring a long and painful battle with cancer until she went to be with Jesus shortly after Hope's birth. We've told Hope about Alyssa and why she has her middle name, and she's gotten a chance to meet Coach Smelley and his wife as well. I'm always amazed at how kids like hearing stories about their birth and the circumstances surrounding it. We pray that their names, carefully chosen, will instill a sense of purpose in their lives.

Thank you for Hope's easy smile. She has a number of them - shy, goofy, toothy. She smiles easily and makes friends naturally. Thank you for her sense of humor. I often point to Brent and tell him that she's completely his child. She loves to make people laugh and occasionally will stretch the boundaries of courtesy to do so. Sound familiar?

Thank you for Hope's thoughtful heart. She is quick to pray for people who are sick and in need. Thank you for her inquistive nature. I believe she knows everyone's family tree backwards and forwards thanks to her curious questioning. "Who is your mom? Who is your dad? Who is your grandfather? Why is that his name?" These are questions that have been asked of all her preschool teachers and Sunday School teachers. Perhaps she'll one day report the news in a very detailed manner :-)

Thank you for Hope's strong will. (Yes, really, thank you). While it provides challenges and opportunities to be quite creative, it will serve her well throughout her life. Help us shape it and guide her regarding when to be stubborn and when to give in. Continue to grow in her a deep and abiding love for you as her Savior.

Bless her and keep her as she heads to kindergarten this fall. May she be a compassionate companion to those in her class, a curious student for her teacher, and maybe a little bit of a class clown to keep everyone laughing and smiling.

Thank you so much for entrusting her to us, Lord. Give us all we need for the journey.

Amen.

We love you, Hopi-Hopester!

Mommy & Daddy