Happy Birthday Elly

This is the first March 24th in twenty-one years that I haven't spent with my eldest. She's in Dublin preparing for an exam and interview in order to enter a new school. She's accompanied on her journey by her boyfriend, making a sort of mini-holiday out of five days. If I remember correctly, they're going to have a wander through Dun Laoghaire and later check out the Guinness Storehouse for a tour and a meal.

Going through old photos of her, it's easy to see how much she's changed over the years, but I can also see the person who she's always been.

Elly loves the sunshine, the rain, the snow, the trees, the clouds, the wind, and the flowers. When she was little she liked knowing that her name meant "sunshine".

Elly at less than a year.



At one and a bit.



At two and a half (looking a bit gnome-ish).



Elly loves people, old or young. Nothing makes her happier than to be in conversation with another person, and she has a great gift for relating to others no matter how different they are from her. She also adores animals. In planning for a move overseas, when talk turns to things she'll need to get once she's there, the conversation frequently starts with, "I'll need a cat".I've had to put a moratorium on her bringing anymore pets into the house.

At six.



She loves art and books, and has a fantastic memory for words and a great gift for writing. These particular gifts will serve her very well in the future.

At eleven - sketching at Lower Fort Garry.



Where's the best place to find people and conversation? A party, of course. Another of Elly's great loves in life, THE EVENT. Whether it's a loose gathering of friends at coffee shop, or something more grand and formal, this is where she feels at home and comfortable.

At eighteen.



Happy Birthday Elly!