This is a picture of my second daughter, when she was 9 (several years ago). I found this picture, as well as the note I wrote to go along with it, while cleaning out my files on facebook (getting ready to delete my account over there). Below is what I wrote several years ago.

"That's my second born. She'll be 9 years old within a week.

She's smart, energetic, creative and surprising. She's the one most likely to be the source of most of my gray hairs. But she's also sweet and wonderful.

For my birthday last week, she gave me a quarter. That may not sound like much, but it's a lot. Here's why.

She doesn't have her own money yet. She wants to have her own money very badly, but I haven't allowed it yet. (I will soon.) Her piano teacher, who is very strict, gave my daughter a quarter several weeks ago for doing an excellent job on her scales (or something). My daughter prized that quarter very much. She kept it in her pants pocket and kept it with her everywhere she went.

That's the quarter she gave me for my birthday."

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward."

~ Psalm 127:3