Celebrating the life and laughter of our May birthday girl: AnnaLeah Karth (Forever 17)
Colorful. Creative. Compassionate. Insightful.
It seems like only yesterday — only it was three years ago — that we found ourselves celebrating Vanessa’s four year-old birthday on the day when we had planned to have a joint celebration on AnnaLeah’s 18th birthday. . . May 15, 2013.
(Stolen from us by a preventable truck crash.)
In 11 years, we will celebrate Vanessa’s 18th birthday–the age that AnnaLeah would have been that day. Won’t that seem odd as our 2 girls remain young and the rest of us get older?
Some Photo Albums of a Beautiful, Loving Girl
AnnaLeah Birthday Girl Photo Album
Grace Girls Appreciated AnnaLeah For over three years, AnnaLeah took care of the babies and preschoolers of moms who attended a morning Bible Study group called Grace Girls. She had a gift with young children. She enjoyed them and they loved her. The moms appreciated AnnaLeah and let her know so. Photos show a Christmas card she received from them, as well as a farewell card to her when we were moving away from Midland, along with lots of photos of AnnaLeah with little ones.
Joy in the Journey. . . laughing with AnnaLeah Okay, so I posted the Buddies Forever photos and then decided that I wanted to post a photo of AnnaLeah’s hair to see how it matched her Buddy’s hair. In the process, I ran across a series of photos which Isaac took in 2009 when we were preparing for the Family Promise=Hope puppet program and wanted to create a “wedding portrait” of the Mom & Dad puppets for their bedroom wall as a stage prop. AnnaLeah and I held the puppets as he took the photos and we were having such a fun time. Finding joy in the journey…then & now.
Weeping Willow Memories. . . she was so creative Mary and AnnaLeah enjoyed a spring-like day in the winter of 2009 at Grafa Park in Midland, Texas. The branches of a weeping willow tree became the setting for the unleashing of their imagination. (Preserved for us by their sister, Susanna Karth)
Sarah Eaton’s Photos of AnnaLeah & Mary Sarah shares these thoughts about AnnaLeah and Mary from Midland, Texas: So many good memories with those girls. They may be gone but they lived life to the fullest! I am so thankful to have gotten to know them even if it was just for a couple of years!
Locks of Love. . . Mary’s braids are beautiful. Maybe, when I am not here anymore, my family might decide to donate them to Locks of Love. But right now, they are all that I have left of her, and I am going to keep them. (Wish I had AnnaLeah’s as well…)
AnnaLeah served from her heart. She was very handy with her hands–though construction was not her forte but rather crafts. Young children especially loved her.
I love to see AnnaLeah’s genuine smile and love of her niece and nephew and books, books, books!
While Mary played, AnnaLeah diligently got the job done! : )
I was so proud of AnnaLeah as she matured and gave to those around her. She was insightful and taught me a lot. I don’t know that I ever affirmed her fully or told her enough how much I loved her. To the moon and back. See you soon, raccoon (not soon enough).
