5 things I love about Katherine

This will be the first of a new series I'm starting. 5 Things. Keep an eye out...

5 Things I Love About Katherine

Katherine's 4th birthday was Tuesday. She has been waiting for a long time to be 4. She's disappointed that she wasn't quite a bit taller when she woke up on January 5th. But she had a good day anyway!

1. I love Katherine's name. Katherine Therese Gulde. We named her after the 3 women Doctors of the Church: Catherine of Siena (cool lady who told the pope to get back to Rome), St. Theresa of Avila (founder of the discalced (shoeless) Carmelites and author of Interior Castle) and St. Therese of Lisieux (the little flower hardly anyone knew about till her sister published her memoirs after her death at the age of 24).

Such a strong name. For a girl who will do amazing things in her life. Whether they get public acclaim or are done quietly in the sweetness of her heart. She will do great things.

2. I love Katherine's words. She says things like, "Can you please help me with my hungry situation?" and when she doesn't want us to get her face wet in the bath, she'll yell, "Don't touch my property!" (that one might come in handy in another way some day! :) )

If she's the slightest bit happy, she'll hop up and down, clap and squeal, "I LOVE IT!" like the ultimate cheerleader.

3. I love how Katherine's SO not like me!  She's an eternal optimist. She's an extrovert. If we were the same age in middle school, she'd probably be one of those girls that totally intimidated me. When she was an infant, the more people in the room, the more she smiled, giggled and cooed.  She tries to see the good side of everything. She's a performer through and through. She loves to sing. The other kids have dubbed her the "constant radio". She'll sing Christmas carols in June (as well as ALL Christmas long) and belt out Mylie Cyrus' "Party in the USA" like it was written for her.

At the dinner table, she want us to listen to HER. If we're all talking and she has something to share, she'll get up on her knees in her chair, clap her hands three times and yell, "Everyone listen to ME right now!" Sounds a bit bratty, but she's usually very justified. She doesn't let us ignore her. Which is good when you're the third child!

4. I love Katherine's girliness. She's very silly.She sleeps with her purse. She changes clothes on average of 4 times a day. She runs across the room and puts her hands behind her head so she can feel her hair flying behind her. She walks on her tip toes. Her favorite thing to do after dinner is wash dishes and sing. We think she thinks she's Cinderella.

5.  I love her mind. She thinks. At Curt's mom's funeral, she was the one of our children most concerned with heaven and where Grandma was.

During the Rosary, she told her cousin Michelle, "I don't want to die. Then I won't ever get to wear this dress again..."

On the way to the burial, she told us that Grandma wasn't dead, she was in the car behind us.

Last week she told Curt, "Grandma is in heaven. But she goes with Grandpa... Grandma and Grandpa are just supposed to go together, right? Like Nana and Pop and Grandpa and Dottie."

Last night, she decided that she might want to go to heaven. But, she had one request:

"Mom, can you just go up there real quick and see if there is ground. 'Cause I like ground."

"I'm afraid to fly."

I told her that if she wanted ground in heaven, Jesus would cover the whole thing up just for her.
That's how much He loves her.

We love you too, little Katherine!