Happy Birthday Marissa!

 Marissa turns 10 years old today! She is special because she is the only Phillips to have a birthday in October! Of course, thats not the only reason she is special though.

 Marissa has always had a very sensitive spirit. She is able to be "in-tune" with what is going on. She cares a lot about other people and what they are going through. She tries very hard to follow the rules at school and wants to please her teachers. Of course, this isn't a challenge for Marissa because she is dang smart.

This is Marissa at our local science fair in Pocatello. She loves most subjects, but her favorites are Reading, Art, and Science. She especially loves animals. One of Marissa's favorite things to do in Idaho is play with our cats and dogs. She is not scared of them at all, and she knows how to handle them.

Her favorite animal by far is the Owl. She absolutely LOVES them, and she knows everything about them. Seriously--I talked with her for about an hour about all the different breeds and habitats and physical features of owls in the Northwest. She is very knowledgeable about them. 

Marissa is now the oldest of FOUR! Above is a picture of her with her newest little brother, Austin Jaxon. She came up with the idea to call him "A.J." and we think that is so cute! She is an excellent helper for her parents, and she does what she is asked without complaining. 

She is a good big sister to Mallory, and they spend a lot of their time playing together. She tries hard to be patient, to share and to get over things that might bug her. Its nice to have a best friend who is your sister too!

 Marissa is one of the oldest girl cousins, so all the little girls really look up to her. She does a great job of keeping them all entertained. She's going to be an awesome babysitter in a few years.

Marissa has really been growing up fast. I am so impressed by her self-control and her awareness. She loves to be involved in what the adults are talking about, she knows how to wait her turn, and she never forgets her manners to say "please" and "thank you". She is modest, has a good sense of humor, and she knows what she wants. Did I mention that she always orders a salad when we go out? I am very impressed by her healthy eating habits! 

Like her Dad, Marissa is a fan of football. We were out at dinner recently and she asked me if I vote for  BYU or UofU. I told her I vote for whoever is playing against BYU. Sometimes I like to tease with Marissa, and she knows how to take a joke pretty well. 

Marissa has lots of potential and we are excited to see what great things she will do with it! 

Like her mother, Marissa is very talented when it comes to music. Here is a video of her playing the piano for us last Christmas. She has also participated in dance and gymnastics and does well at both. 

We love you Marissa and we hope you have a wonderful birthday!