Today is one of those days 🥹

It’s my birthday 🥳

Dear 13-Year-Old Jola,

Happy Birthday🎂 Today marks another year of your beautiful journey, and I want to take a moment to celebrate you🩷

Eight years ago, you were a bundle of dreams, worries, and a little girl with a big heart❤️You loved Fanta, and guess what? It's still our favorite drink😂. Pink was your go-to color back then, and it still is today🙈🩷You always needed your lips to be glossy, and now, they’re lined and glossed to perfection🥰. Your straight hair, sometimes braided, frames the face of a young woman who has grown into herself in ways you couldn’t have imagined🩷

You worried so much back then, didn’t you? About fitting in, about the future, about being enough🥹 But here’s the beautiful truth: all those worries were for nothing💜You have done everything you set out to do. On your terms, in your own time, step by step🥺You’ve grown so much, Jola. You are grace personified🥰.

Think about the journey you’ve been on. The work you’ve put into yourself, the countless times you faced humbling experiences with such dignity and patience. Each challenge was a lesson, each setback a stepping stone. You learned that even when the God  says ‘No,’ it’s still a blessing❤️And yes, sometimes you still cry, but not like a mumu. Well, maybe just a little, but that’s okay. It shows how deeply you feel, how much you care❤️

Thank you, Jola, for fighting for us. For holding onto big dreams even when you didn’t know how they would come true🥺. You never gave up. You took on the scary, hard stuff with trembling legs but a steady heart ♥️ You kept your head high, maintaining an incredible poise ,composure ,beauty and steeze through it all😉❤️

Your curiosity and wonder are still intact. The light  in your eyes, the warmth in your smile, they’ve endured🥺You’ve never lost that spark, that unique blend of nonconformity and determination❤️. In a world that tried to harden you, you remained soft, compassionate, and true to yourself. You now understand that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. You no longer feel ashamed for being in tune with your emotions❤️.

And here we are eight years later 🥺still pursuing the career we chose when we were five🥹It often feels like we don’t know what we’re doing, but somehow, it makes sense😤Every step, every decision, it all fits into a bigger picture that we’re painting with our lives♥️.

Looking back, maybe your worries weren’t entirely in vain. They led you closer to  God, grounding you in faith. Now, those worries have eased, and you’ve learned to trust God more❤️You’ve carried the weight for so long, Jola. It’s time to let go a bit, to relax. I’ve got it from here, with God by my side, just like you had❤️

As we step into our twenties, the best years of our life are ahead. Happy Birthday to my twenty-something self🎊🎂 We’re on the verge of graduating from university, turning a new page, and embracing the future with open arms. I wanted to write this letter to say thank you. Thank you for being brave, for dreaming big, for never giving up. You were that girl, you are still that girl, and you will always be that girl.

With all my love,

Jocular like Jola in July 🩷🩷🩷🩷

We entered our teenage years with fear, and now we are spreading our wings, ready to soar into our twenties.

So help us God

Amen ❤️