We celebrated this gorgeous girl on May 7 as she turned 12! She is such a joy and gift in our lives; we’re convinced that everybody who has ever encountered Fay is better because of it.

Fay is an absolute party of a big sister! She is super creative and loves to lead her siblings in all kinds of grand schemes! Sometimes it looks like impromptu story time on the kitchen floor; other times it is marching around the back yard in formation halting and turning on Fay’s signal. She reminds me quite a bit of my own oldest sister who was just as creative and adventurous as Fay. If only all the world could grow up under the magical direction of a Kathryn or a Fay!

Fay is also so loving and giving to her siblings. This past Christmas, Fay worked hard to make or buy a very thoughtful gift for each of her siblings (all of her own volition and funding), wrapped them, and lovingly placed them under the “kids’ tree.” On their last day of school before Christmas, she had a sweet little event of bestowing her gifts on her adoring siblings.

Fay was also in the school play this year, and even had a line to say! She is still (mostly) enjoying playing the violin. And she always loves learning new things! Her thrill for learning is an enormous blessing to our whole family. Fay has been known to pull out her school notebooks and just read off bullet-points of interesting facts she has recorded. She sometimes insists that siblings or parents sit and listen as long as there is more to read.

In the school play this year, there was a skeleton named Lucy. Fay was DELIGHTED to meet a replica of the OG Lucy skeleton at the Bean Museum.

In 2020, we turned Fay into “Rey Fay” for May the 4th (be with you). And apparently it is now an absolute must. So here she is in the 2024 iteration of Rey Fay.

This has been a big year for Fay, because she is now old enough to attend the temple! I have loved the opportunities I’ve had to go with her to the baptistry and see her testimony of temples and covenants grow. 🤍🤍🤍 This most recent time we went I, myself, was even baptized! That was the first time for me since being endowed in 2011!

I owe it all to Fay!