[callout]We love turning 10 at our house. We think it is pretty special to turn double digits. I ask 30 key women in their lives to write them encouraging notes. This is how I do it! [/callout]

Last week my oldest daughter turned 10 years old. I believe that this is a critical year for her. In the next couple of years she will experience great physical and emotional changes and my hope is that during this time I can lavish on her the love and affirmation she will need as she crosses over into the teen years.

A couple of years ago while at a conference I heard speaker Julie Hiramine of Generations of Virtue speak about raising girls. She mentioned something she did for her daughter called, The First 30 Days of 10. For her 10th birthday, Julie asked 30 of her own friends to write letters of encouragement or short Bible studies for her daughter. I loved the idea and knew that I wanted to do something similar as well.

I called my version Project 10 and had 29 of the most amazing ladies write some of the sweetest notes to my daughter that I have ever read. I added a letter myself for a total number of 30.

Love these boxes!

I really wanted the presentation to be special. So when I found these adorable boxes at Michaels and was I was thrilled! Here is what she found as she unwrapped each one:

Box #1 – 10 Reece Cups (her favorite candy)
Box #2 – 10 hair accessories
Box #3 – 1 picture from each of her 9 previous birthdays and her actual Birth Day – September 30, 1999.
Box #4 – 30 letters all wrapped up in pretty pink tulle

She loved it! But the best part came just before she went to bed. She said with tears in her eyes, “Mommy, I love my letters. I never knew I was so special.”

 

Words are powerful things aren’t they? My prayer for her is that she will store up all these things and treasure them in her heart for many years to come.

Happy Birthday Emma!

This was days before baby #4 was born!

We also added a You-Tube Video on it the following year: