Oh my goodness we've got a legal adult for an oldest child! How did this day come so quickly?
The traditional birthday breakfast in bed!
The Perfect Man is an absolute legend with these girls.
The boys were so excited to give Leah an assortment of hand-selected cheese!
Leah was fully showered with 18-year-old presents!
And she had an epic plan for her 18th birthday party - a murder mystery dinner party!
We worked for days planning the party, transforming the basement into an art gallery
that was filled with poignant and hilarious art created by Leah and Emma,
preparing roles and scripts and texts and costumes
and really good food
and mocktails!
Leah and 17 of her closest friends dressed up and tried to figure out who dunnit in the Art of Murder.
They started with cocktails upstairs, then moved down to dinner, 
over to the mysterious art gallery,
then back to the tables for final accusations, birthday cake, and prizes for the best participants.
This birthday girl is so loved!
Adam was a great guest at the party, but these two get the biggest shout out for helping with the mocktails and the dinner and the dishes and the cleanup. This party was a LOT of work, and it would have been an absolute wreck without them.
The party was so much fun! We loved celebrating 18-year-old Leah! She picked Main Street in Ankeny for her birth-date with Mom and Dad, and it was delicious!
It shouldn't feel like this is a closing chapter of the blog, but I honestly never knew how long this amazing form of family history documenting would last. I always assumed somewhere around the time my teenagers became adults I would wrap up writing out their history. But I'm not done blogging about the baby that inspired the creation of this blog 18 years ago just yet!
The list is much longer than this, but here are just a few things that we love about Leah-
Leah knows who she is and what she wants. She has no problem telling friends, or potential boyfriends, or family no if she is not interested in participating in their activities. That is a very good thing!
Leah loves sleep (don't we all). There isn't much that keeps her up at night, and she almost always tucks herself into bed at a reasonable hour and then lures her parents into her room for a long bedtime chat.
Leah makes beautiful music! We love hearing her play the violin, and she has a beautiful singing voice too! That is a hidden talent that I hope she continues to develop in college.
Leah loves cheese and Nerds gummy clusters and a good hearty soup with homemade bread.
Leah is a peacemaker. I know that she says we always say that, but it is such a spiritual gift that not everyone is blessed with. But she blesses everyone around her with her ability to keep the peace.
Leah is an includer. She notices the people who are on the fringe and welcomes them in. She is a good friend and knows how to see people who need to be seen.
Leah is an igniter! She brings people together and knows how to make fun happen!
Leah has the best giggle. And she laughs freely and often. It's music to my ears.
Leah is a great teenager - she makes awesome playlists and takes funny pictures and sends sweet texts. She is a good driver and a hardworker and is working hard to juggle all that is going on right now with what the future holds for her.
Leah still has a scrap or two of her baby blanket, and she won't let anyone say anything mean about it.
Leah's main loves are Edward Cullen, Mr. Darcy, and Nephi. Real life boys still don't quite hold the same appeal to Leah.
Leah loves babies! She is a fantastic, in-demand babysitter in our ward and our neighborhood.
Leah has a strong conviction about the kind of person she wants to show up as, and she is true to herself in the way that she acts.
Leah is so stinking smart. She's a hard worker and a good student.
Leah is an amazing sister to each of her siblings. I have watched her work hard to develop relationships with each one of them, and they know she loves them!
Leah has beautiful brown hair and sparkly bright eyes and such a sweet smile. She is a modest and humble babe!
Leah has a sweet and strong testimony. She loves the temple, seminary, church, and is planning on serving a mission - soon!!
Leah is a very patient guinea pig for her parents who are exactly as old as she is in their parenting efforts. She gives us a lot of grace!
Leah is genuinely the kind of teenager that every parent wishes they had. I receive compliments regularly on what a wonderful person she is. Our family is so happy because Leah is in it!
Happy 18th birthday to you, our sweet young adult!
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