Dear Boo

Do you know how special you are? I have to ask because it is so rare for you to draw attention to yourself. You are one of the most capable new 9-year-olds that I know. Adults will tell me how grown up you are in your conversations. I watch peers look to you as a measure of what it means to be a “big kid”. Kids younger than you all know that you are safe and will treat them no differently than kids older than them. It doesn’t take me long to find you on a Sunday morning. I just need to find the trails of giggles and look for the new gymnastic competition you have set up. Your confidence makes me smile. You are who you are, you never make any excuses, I think you see the world in a different way, holding the balance of your youth with the maturity of your soul in a delicate dance.

Ya’el Ariel Ruth, you are 9 years old today!

You told me last night, it’s my last year in the single digits. You said it so matter of factly. I love it when you make statements with no emotions behind them. There is no need to make a fuss over something. You came into this world wide-eyed, calm, taking everything in, letting those brain cells process everything around you.

I have to remind myself that when we are getting ready to do anything as a family, you need me to give you the rundown. I use to get slightly irritated at the list of questions you will grill me with. But then I realized, it’s because you have kept track of all the unique needs of the family and you want to make sure I haven’t forgotten what they might need. You are the first to be ready, packed, and then follow me around the house making sure I don’t forget anything.

When there is an outburst from a family member, I will quickly find you next to me, whispering to me what that person needs to understand or how to diffuse the situation. You have studied each family member. You know ways to calm people down, how to make them laugh when they are sad, how to serve them when they need care, how to comfort them with touch when they don’t have the self-awareness that they need physical touch.

Your wit keeps me on my toes. I am surprised at the upper-level jokes that your brain gets. How you can watch a movie and understand what is happening that will sometimes go over your sister’s head. Your ability to laugh at sarcasm makes your daddy love you so much. You don’t dish it out, but you laugh and smile back when it’s given.

I have learned to let small things go. You came into a family that was in utter chaos. Your daddy was working a new role in his job, I was finishing my 1^st year of my master’s program, while serving at the church. Your siblings were 2,4, & 6. We didn’t know the meaning of a slow pace…hmmm…we still don’t.

Your go-with-the-flow attitude was such a gift to me. I will never forget the day I loaded you up in the mobi and walked your siblings to McDonald’s for ice cream on a beautiful summer day because they needed to be outside and I had to suck it up. Your chill little soul let me pack you up and take you to so many places I didn’t think I could handle, yet had to because your siblings needed it.

Ya’el, your daddy dreamed of having a little baby girl with big dark brown eyes and dark hair, a little girl that would look just like your momma. We laughed in awe of God’s perfect design as we studied the curly black hair you had and found quickly that we could get lost in your big brown eyes.

There is always a look of love in them.

I love hearing from your teachers that they wish they had 20 Ya’el’s in their classroom. Because I know exactly what they mean when they say it.

I love it when you get tired of people saying your name wrong, so you go up to them quietly and say “You can call me boo” (so they don’t feel any embarrassment at their failed attempts)

I love it when we have to clean up a conversation quickly when you mention your best friend is a 43 yr old male…ha! Yay for Uncle Bri Bri

I love it when you pack an extra treat or drink for your little sister when she swears up and down she doesn’t need it, mainly because she doesn’t want to pack it…just for you to pull it out for her when she is in meltdown mode.

I love it that you tried out for the talent show at school because you realized “I figured it was a good way to get over my stage fright”

I love that when you show up late for a soccer game…yeah, I am sorry Boo, indoor soccer season with 4 other Harneys with 4 other soccer schedules sometimes gives you the shaft…I love that your whole team cheers and tells the coach to get you in ASAP.

I love that we can be in a public place and you will see a classmate from school and you will shout out their name and say hi…I wonder how many times I don’t say hi because I don’t feel brave enough to.

I love that when we got to the outlook of our hike yesterday and everyone else wanted to get down from the mountain for their special post-hike treat that you stood there and said “Can we just stay here and enjoy the view for a moment?”.

Ya’el Ariel Ruth – what a treasure you are to us all. The name you were given from your Naani, it has such a prophetic telling of your story. She prayed over you like she has done with every Harney baby, but this was different. She sought God, she asked Him, “who” you would be.

And this is what He told her.

Ya’el: God’s strength

Ariel: Lion of God

Ruth: compassionate friend

Sweet Boo – your ability to stand in chaos and speak peace is the strength of God. Your quick intuition to care for those who need help makes you a protector, a lion of God. Your gentle heart leads you to always think of others, making you such a compassionate friend.

Boo, we sure don’t deserve you, but wow are we thankful God gave you to us!!!

Happy birthday my 9-year-old. Now to get ready for the birthday hike you requested for your special day