Seven is God's Perfect Number (featuring "Ryley Inventions That Will Save the World")

When it's been this long since I've blogged, everything starts to build up, and I don't know where to even begin. There is so much within me that I want to share, and yet I find that I only allow myself to release small tidbits at one time...otherwise, my readership would be overwhelmed by all my wild, random thoughts and would ultimately dwindle from five readers to one -- me! Ha ha.

Blogging just takes so much time. Does anybody know how to load pictures faster? It takes me literally hours to post.

It's been a really interesting few days for me at my job, and there is so much I want to "journal," but maybe this isn't the place right now anyway. We will have to wait and see how it all plays out.

So, instead, I will focus on the event of the year: our sweet girl's seventh birthday, which came waaaaay sooner than we were prepared for! In case you haven't noticed before now, we are a little crazy about Ryley. She amazes us every day with her compassionate heart and creative inventions, and our love for her just grows and grows. We are thankful to God for her life.

My parents were able to come up for Ryley's birthday weekend extravaganza, and it was so much fun to have them here!!! On her birthday, she woke up to this:





We drove up Mount Evans and had a picnic lunch at Echo Lake, which Ryley just loved.















We then returned to Denver just barely in time for her birthday dinner at Red Robin, followed by her birthday party with her friends at the local swimming pool.












The next day we had one last birthday surprise in store. We went to the Denver Aquarium which has a temporary exhibit of mermaids!







Ryley was thrilled. It is so much fun to surprise her like that. :-)




Then we went home and played with her birthday Legos all afternoon and evening. It was glorious.. :-)

What a perfect celebration of our daughter's life!!! We are so blessed.

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And now, in honor of her birthday, I give you the following Ryley Inventions:

"The Genius Desk": This would be a desk that straps to the person with suspender-like shoulder-straps. The desk would wrap around the front of the person's body for 180 degrees. This way the person can do his or her work while walking around. They can have their desk with them wherever they go. The desk will also have its own electrical outlet so that the person could plug in his or her computer.

"The Baby Genius Desk": A version of the previously-mentioned Genius Desk, especially adapted for moms. With the Baby Genius Desk, the mom can keep her baby with her at all times and literally wear everything she needs to take care of the baby. On one side of the desk would be a crib so the baby can nap. One side would feature a changing station. There would be a highchair seat and a play area where the baby can crawl around and play.

(We simply can't wait to see the diagrams of these inventions!)

"The Homeless Person Neighborhood": When she grows up, Ryley plans to own a neighborhood of houses where homeless people can live. They would never have to move out of the house; the house would be free. Once a month, she would have a maid come through the neighborhood and teach the residents how to care for a home...like doing dishes, laundry, housecleaning, etc., and just make sure "everything's going ok." To pay for all these houses, she will get a second job, like "working at the grocery store."

When she explains these ideas, she is so full of hope. She has a tone in her voice that seems like the solution is so obvious, she's in disbelief that nobody has ever thought of them before.... Ryan says she is destined to become an engineer. :-)