I have 8 nephews and 2 nieces among my siblings.  For the most part, we’ve never lived in the same city, so they are just these far-off adorables you get to see growing up through Christmas card photos and the every-other-year family gatherings.  They are a pretty likeable bunch!

Until March, we have never lived closer than 13-20 hours from my sweet niece, Elise, the firstborn to my brother Joe and his wife, Robin.  But then she moved here following 2 years of leading missions trips with YWAM and what extra joy she has brought!

She turned 22 on the 22nd and it is fitting for she is at least 22 times happier and excited about life than most anyone else on the planet.  She has made us laugh at least 2200 times since she got here and she has been a happy encourager to all of us no less than 222 times.

We have a video of Elise when she was 9 years old, very happily describing the pretty outfit she has just purchased for church, just bubbling in anticipation of the moment she’ll be able to don it and model it for us all.  The very weekend she moved to Denver this year, on a Saturday afternoon, she bounded into the kitchen sharing excitedly, Look at this cute outfit I got for church today!! and  drew us all into the excitement of how cute she would be.  She never fails to pull us in by her exhuberance for living, where even small feats are opportunities to celebrate. 

Happy Birthday, sweet Elise Rachelle Moslander!  You are color and light and a world traveller with a big heart.  You have become the beautiful young woman I always knew you would be, but have surprised me by being such an amazing woman of faith and trust in God!  You are a faith woman, for sure!

May all your blessings come times 2 this year!…Aunt Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Take good care of my sweet niece, Elise!