Today is just an ordinary Thursday … until you realize that your daughter graduates TOMORROW!!!
Where has the time gone?
It seems like just yesterday that I was rocking this little 5 lb 15 1/2 oz baby girl in my arms!
Then I blinked, and she grew into this beautiful young woman that as of tomorrow will be embarking on a new journey.
Oh Lord. Thank you for allowing me to be here with my daughter through all of these years! Thank you for allowing me to see her grow, learn, and stretch her wings.
Now, I must brag on my daughter a little bit. You knew that was coming, right?
This soft spoken, often times shy and timid young lady is the President of her Senior Class. She was also voted by her classmates as the “Class Clown” as well as “Most Talkative.” Can you believe that? You would never expect this from HER! But yes, so it seems that when she warms up to you, you’d better watch out because she’ll talk your ears off while clowning around the entire time! That made me laugh when I saw it in her year book.
My daughter is also on the National Christian Honors Society, and because of her accomplishments, she has received a partial scholarship at a college of her choice. She received none other than the Leadership Scholarship, too!
Have I mentioned how very proud I am of my daughter?
Her school days have not been easy for her either as she has been on the receiving end of bullying. She has faced things in her life that she never should have had to endure, but it has made her the strong young lady that she is today.
I am proud of her academic accomplishments, but I am so proud of her for the morals and values that she has that seem to be lacking in most teenagers and young people these days. I can say that my daughter walks with integrity and great character while extending love, grace, and compassion to all.
Tomorrow I will try really hard NOT to cry. I did not think I would cry at the National Honors Society program last year either … but I did. So, I will have a box of tissue handy, just in case!
Our friend, Greg, just got into town a short while ago. He came all this way to see my daughter graduate. That says a lot right there that he would take time away from work and go through the long two day drive to be here for this special occasion.
I have prayed over my daughter throughout these past 18 years, and I prayed for my daughter actually before she was ever conceived. I will continue to pray for her as she goes out into the “real world” now to follow her dreams.
I pray for her future husband as well – although she is not engaged at this point, nor does she have a serious relationship as of yet. But I pray for what the future will hold and that she will have a beautiful life ahead of her. I pray for the young man that will win her heart one day. It is my prayer that he will treat her like the treasure that she is and that he will love her so much and do all things to honor, respect, and uplift her; that he will be faithful to her always and remain true in his heart and mind as well. Oh yes, I am already praying for this young man, and she hasn’t even met “him” yet.
If I may, I’d like to make a request for any one that reads this post. Would you please take a minute of your time to pray for my daughter and all of the 2015 graduates? God has a beautiful plan for all of their lives, and we get the privilege of watching His great plan unfold.
If you’re a parent preparing to watch your son or daughter walk across that stage, you’re in my prayers, too. Be proud, Mom & Dad. You did a great job! Now dry your eyes and celebrate their big day while clinging to Jeremiah 29:11. Make it personal to your child! I know without a shadow of a doubt that my God has great plans for my daughter, Nicole. I trust that they are plans to prosper her and not to harm her. I have full confidence that they are plans to give Nicole a hope and a future!
Yesterday was Mother’s Day. It was a day honoring mothers every where. That includes YOU, dear mother that is reading this that often times feels like everyone else gets honored on “that” day but you.
I have been there.
There was once a time when I felt like I was lost in the shuffle on Mother’s Day. The festivities fell on my shoulders … to make sure my mom felt special, to make sure my grandmother felt special, too, and let’s not forget that I also had to make sure that my mother-in-law felt special as well. I was the one that people looked to and expected something to be done to “celebrate” the mothers in the family. Yet, I was and am a mother myself, so who was supposed to celebrate … ME?
At one time, I felt selfish for these thoughts. Not any more.
I AM a mother, and I DO deserve to be treated special. Not just on one day a year, though. Yes, mothers get special recognition on that day for all that they do. But, I hope you’re showing your mother or the mother of your children DAILY how special they are and how much you appreciate and love them. They work long hours with little recognition for all that they DO. As the saying goes, “A mother’s work is never done.” It seems like that, doesn’t it with the endless pile of laundry that seems to breed and multiply in the laundry room and clothes hampers!
But, yes, at one point I felt selfish for wondering who was to celebrate me and how long did I have to “mother” to qualify for someone celebrating me.
I finally decided that my husband was perfectly capable of celebrating the woman that brought him into this world and raised him. I no longer needed to carry the weight of this on my shoulders to do things “just right” to celebrate her. She wasn’t my mother. Oh that is not going to come off nice to some of my readers, but I inherited her when I married him. Whether he celebrated her in years past and how, he did without me then … so if he wishes to celebrate her now, he can still do that without my help. No, I don’t harbor any ill feelings toward his mother at all. Please don’t read that into this. But, she was one of the ones that didn’t really celebrate me. Finally, she did start mailing me a card, which I appreciate. It took YEARS for me to “qualify” to be a recipient of a card from her, although I am the mother of her 10 year old granddaughter in addition to her 18 year old step granddaughter. Yes, I think I more than qualify for someone to celebrate me instead of me always being the one to celebrate everyone else and make sure they feel special on Mother’s Day.
Although my late grandmother would come to Mother’s Day dinner at my house along with my parents, my grandma didn’t celebrate me either. I always had her a present when she came, and I made sure to recognize her. I just did not “qualify” to receive recognition from her, I suppose, although I’ve been a mother for the past 18 years.
My parents, though, they ALWAYS celebrated me. I was recognized by my dad, especially, and I am so thankful for all that he has done in years past and this year included, to recognize me on this day where mothers every where are honored and recognized.
I was always so “busy” getting the Mother’s Day gifts in order as well as preparing the Mother’s Day meal … it wasn’t a day off for me AT ALL … instead, it seemed to be a day that I worked even harder, without any recognition at all for ME being a mother, too. I worked, I did, I bought, I cooked, I made, I recognized, I honored. Everyone let me do it, too. My mother, my grandmother, my mother-in-law, my husband, etc.
Finally I had a melt down one year. I said WHO is going to celebrate ME?
Well, I did NOT have that complaint this year AT ALL …
As to the answer to the question “Who is going to celebrate ME?” My daughter … my 18 year old daughter that is graduating at the end of the month … took HER graduation money that she has received from people thus far and went shopping for me. I did not know this at the time, but it was revealed to me this past weekend. My darling daughter took her money that was given to her and used it to purchase presents to honor and celebrate me. She could have (and really should have) taken that money to use on something for herself … and yet, she sacrificed so that I would be honored and celebrated on Mother’s Day.
It all started Friday when my girls announced that they would do whatever I wanted the entire weekend since it was Mother’s Day weekend. YEA!!!!
We took off to Charleston on Friday to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Oh my goodness! If you have never been … it is a must see if you are ever in South Carolina!
From the historic house, to the beautiful grounds, there is so much history within the old rice fields alongside of this plantation. We strolled through the gardens, visited the petting zoo, and enjoyed looking at the miniature horses and donkey as well. Then, we went up to the house and played on a tree that my now 18 year old daughter played on when we visited this site many years ago. We took pictures with the beautiful white bridge that is in a lot of people’s wedding photographs from the low country. We were one with nature as we saw alligators in the ponds and swamps, and that was plenty close enough for me!
We had a wonderful day together, and then we went to the mall. 🙂 Doesn’t everyone after they’ve taken a walk back into time?
Saturday my daughter went out for a bit and returned with flowers … a dozen of the most beautiful white roses I’ve ever seen before! I can imagine these once tiny white buds slowly opening up into these fist sized roses to share all of their beauty with us. I placed them in a vase and then gave them a home right in the very center of our dinning room table to enjoy as we had our dinner together as a family.
We spent Saturday with me transferring 12k pictures from my computer onto an external hard drive for safe keeping, and then we were off to dinner at a local restaurant with my parents. Tomatoes and rice were calling my name! If you’re Southern, you’ll understand. If not, don’t ask.
Sunday morning I awoke to beautiful gifts from my darling daughter. As I mentioned earlier in this post, she took her graduation money and purchase gifts for me. She has a heart as big as Texas! Not wishing for her sister or step dad to feel bad for not having any gifts to give me themselves, my daughter shared the presents that she purchased for me with them so that everyone would have something to give me that morning on Mother’s Day. That was so incredibly sweet of her, and it truly touched my heart. Later, she and I had a conversation together where she shared that although it was from her and she had this overwhelming feeling to tell me that morning, she didn’t because she didn’t want to take away from her sister and step dad presenting me with the gifts. I told her that although she never said a word at that time, she didn’t have to because I KNEW … I knew who celebrated me. I knew who those gifts were from. Deep in my heart, I knew that my 18 year old daughter was the one that took it upon herself to recognize, celebrate and honor me on Mother’s Day. Yes, my day had come … someone recognized me due to their kind and thoughtful heart without me saying a word. No prodding, no comments, no subtle hints even. She did this all on her own. And my heart was overflowing with joy.
After that, I reminded my daughters that they said they would do anything I wanted for Mother’s Day weekend. Can you guess what I chose to do? TRAIL RIDING!!!
My 10 year old daughter goes trail riding with us every chance she gets. She loves it so much and enjoys being with her horse. My oldest daughter, however, isn’t as thrilled to get on the back of a horse these days. She will if I beg … but this day, Mother’s Day, all I had to do was smile sweetly as we loaded the horse trailer, packed a lunch, snacks, and drinks, and headed out on the trail. All four of us got to go together trail riding, which thrilled my heart completely! That was the greatest gift that money could never buy, the gift of having my family together – all of us – including our fur babies.
After a few hours of trail riding, we returned home where shortly thereafter my parents arrived to have dinner with us. We grilled out and had an enjoyable evening laughing, talking, and just enjoying each other’s company.
My mom was funny, though, as when she entered my house, she was talking. I was listening to her with the biggest smile on my face as she had walked right past the dinning room table where a bouquet of flowers sat on the table. Flowers we purchased for her on Mother’s Day. We also had a little crystal whatnot (or as she calls them, dust collectors) sitting right beside it that said, “Love You Forever.” I had to point at the flowers before she looked in that direction, and even then she had no idea that they were for HER … I had to tell her, and then she melted right there on the spot.
Ah, sweet moments like this will be engraved in my memory forever!
All in all, it was a perfect weekend spent with my family. I celebrated my mom, of course. But, my daughter celebrated ME!
My husband did take me shopping Friday at the mall, and I picked up some blouses … so that was his Mother’s Day gift to me, which I greatly appreciate. But, knowing that my daughter used her money that was given to her as a graduation gift to purchase my Mother’s Day … there is a twinge of guilt there, but I know that she sacrificed for me. My darling daughter thought of me … honored me … and celebrated ME.
That was a great feeling!
Just as I wrote on a Facebook status this weekend … Life is good … God is GREAT … I am blessed and so grateful to God above!
There will never be enough words to adequately express my heartfelt appreciation for what my daughter did for me this past weekend. She’s really special. I have known that for quite some time, but this … a completely selfless act, sacrificing for her mother … there are no words to tell you how that feels deep down in my soul.
If you are reading this and might have bombed this Mother’s Day on not recognizing the mother of your children or your own mother, take heart. There is always next year OR the next “special occasion.” BUT, why wait? You can create your very own special occasion … just pick a day that you’d like to do something for them out of the blue. You know what? It might mean MORE to them if you do something on a day that it isn’t “expected.” Whether you buy a gift, make one, take them out to dinner, or just sit and spent quality time with them … you will light up their entire world with your efforts.
Take time to show the people in your life that they matter.
It is so nice when you’re strolling along in life with everything going your way, isn’t it? Then, out of the blue, things can change in the blink of an eye. Your safety and security can be threatened by a decision made in one single moment that will change the rest of your life.
Or, due to no fault of your own, you could be thrust into a situation beyond your control where you run for your life to get away, and yet, you feel something kicking at the back of your heels and your legs to the point that it trips you up. You fall to the ground and curl up into a ball using your arms as a shield from the beast that is trying to to maul you. Within minutes, your family surrounds the beast; one hitting him to get him off of you, while one slams into his neck attempting to hold him back so he cannot trample you beneath him at the same time another is sliding their hands into the beast’s mouth in an effort to pry his jaws open to release your arm that he is holding tightly in his grip.
Yes, this just happened to our family. Thursday night as a matter of fact.
In the blink of an eye, our entire world was turned upside down.
It was the most frightening thing to watch your child being chased by a mini donkey, one that your family made a decision together to bring home just two weeks prior to this devastating and traumatic event.
We were told that this mini donkey was “different” in that he was hand raised and bottle fed to the point that he did not know he was a donkey. We thought he was so cute being that he was smaller than our Shetland Pony. He made us laugh at first with how he would huff and puff until he got enough air in his lungs to “blow his horn” as he let out the loudest noise as he was braying.
This mini donkey was brought home for the sole purpose of protecting our herd of horses. We were told that there are coyotes in our area that will sneak up on our horses to attack them at night. Not wanting to lose any of our precious horses, we brought this mini donkey in to do the job of keeping predators away. Little did we know that this mini donkey would turn on my ten year old daughter, as her dad stood just a few feet away, and chase her down like she was his prey. Much to our horror, that is exactly what happened Thursday night.
My 18 year old daughter was the one that was beating this beast trying to get him to release her sister while my husband was holding him back around his neck with all of his might as my hands slipped into the donkey’s mouth in an attempt to pry open his jaws that were locked down tight on my daughter’s arm. This donkey looked in my eyes and growled at me with the lowest, deepest, most haunting growl I have ever heard in my life while I screamed back at it, “YOU CAN NOT HAVE HER! LET HER GO!”
I felt his tooth piercing my flesh as my thumb was now under his lip and sliding along the gum as I pushed down with my left hand and pulled up with my right hand in an effort to free my daughter’s arm. FINALLY, the beast let go, and I was able to snatch my hands out of his mouth about the time that her tiny body was about to hit the ground as she turned as white as a ghost. I wrapped my arms around her tiny body and picked her up to carry her into the house. I looked down at this beautiful baby of mine as I begged her not to leave me … “Don’t do this to me … don’t leave me … stay with me!” She was fading fast as she was about to pass out.
She looked up with those beautiful sea blue eyes of hers as she struggled to ask, “Mama, am I going to die?”
This shook me to my core, and I was pleading with God internally at that moment.
I looked at this innocent little angel laying in my arms and fought back the tears as I said, “No honey, you are NOT going to die. You are going to be okay. We just have to take you to the hospital.”
When we reached the house, I placed her on the couch and took off her sweatshirt to see the damage this beast had done to my precious angel. You could see the outline of all of his teeth and exactly where he clamped down on her little arm. Fear set in, but I knew I had to get her to the hospital to make sure nothing was broken. I quickly went to the freezer for ice to put on her little arm until we reached the hospital where the staff could take over. As I draped towels across the ice packs and placed them on both sides of her arm, I saw the gaping hole in the side of her left arm. I made a panicked call to my dad to tell him what took place and to ask him to meet us at the hospital. My dad has always been my rock. This time would be no different.
Picking her up and placing her in the car, we rushed my daughter to the emergency room where my dad arrived shortly after we did.
The medical staff took her back right away to assess the situation. After x-rays, it was determined that she did not have any broken bones. PRAISE GOD! To have seen that beast going after my daughter, I know without a shadow of a doubt that my God protected her so that she escaped without any life threatening injuries and no broken bones! She did have a very deep puncture wound from the beast’s teeth, which was cleaned out thoroughly by the nurse before the doctor came in to stitch up my daughter’s arm.
In the blink of an eye, my daughter could have been taken from us.
I still have post traumatic stress as I sit here on this Sunday night and write about the events that took place Thursday evening. I cannot get this out of my head. I can still hear her screams from inside the house as I scramble to get the front door open only to see my darling daughter running across the front yard with the donkey chasing her. I can still remember leaping off of the porch, clearing three steps, as I ran as fast as my feet would carry me to battle this beast yelling the entire time, “NO! NO!!! LET HER GO! YOU CANNOT HAVE HER!”
I remember saying that the devil was after our family but he can NOT have us … he can NOT have my daughter! I also remember saying that our God is BIGGER than any attack and that God is going to take care of us. AND HE DID! I just thank God for His hand of protection on my daughter.
Yes, in the blink of an eye our lives were turned upside down.
Tonight I sit here thanking God that my darling daughter is singing in the bath tub, and I have the privilege of washing and drying her hair.
Hold your loved ones close to you and tell them every single chance that you get how very much they mean to you. You never know what the next minute will hold. Let them know how much you love them.
Did you wear your green today? After all, it was St. Patrick’s Day. Do you have the luck of the Irish with you?
When things happen in life, a lot of times people will say how lucky you are. Me? I say, “I’m not lucky, I’m blessed!”
God has poured out His blessings upon my life and my family. That is not to say that my life has always been a bed of roses, because it certainly hasn’t. I have had my fair share of troubles in this life. But, I am choosing to look up and thank God for life!
It is a privilege to be here on this earth. God woke me up this morning, and I am so thankful to Him because it is another day that I get to spend with my family making memories. It is another day that I get to love on and ride my horses.
I don’t take any of this for granted.
I appreciate each and every minute that God gives me.
There are so many that don’t get to grow older. Their time here on this earth was cut short, and only God knows why. My sister, Pamela, is a prime example, as is Greg’s sister, Julia. We don’t understand why they had to leave when they did, but God knows. He called them both home, and I believe that they are with Jesus today in Heaven.
Just this afternoon, despite my ten year old getting sick and tossing her cookies at school, I had such joy as my husband got off work early to help build another horse pasture. My daughter, who was feeling much better by this time, was playing basketball and pretending she was Maddie off of a show called Liv & Maddie. She would exclaim, “Bam! What!” each time she scored, just like Maddie does on this television show. I got to watch that. I got to hear her cute little voice raised high as she excitedly celebrated making it into her make-believe hoop (no, we haven’t yet put one up because we can’t find JUST the hoop … and we don’t need the whole structure with the base, pole, and hoop).
My point in all of this is that I got to witness this. I was the one that had the honor of looking at my darling daughter’s face as she smiled shyly after she realized I not only heard her but was watching her play the entire time.
No, I’m not lucky to get these memories-in-the-making or these precious moments with my daughter … I am BLESSED!
I had the chance to go alongside my husband to help build this new pasture and pull the fencing tight to ensure the horses didn’t escape from their new home. It was hard work, but I was the one standing next to him pulling the fencing. I shared this moment with him, and we got to bask in the glow of the fruits of our labor when we put two of our horses in the new pasture after our project was complete. We did this. We were blessed to be able to make a new pasture for them and work together to accomplish what we did tonight.
And, I am blessed to share little moments with my now-adult-daughter! She’s 18 now, and I know that my time with her at home is coming to a close in the next few, short years. I am not prepared for this, yet I know it is approaching sooner than I care to think about. Until then, though, I get to tease her, just as she loves to tease me, and we get to share inside jokes together that we just smirk over and some times just bust right out laughing because it’s something that only she and I know about.
Oh yes, I am blessed, even though she only wants to focus on her bands and not her future and what she’s going to do when she graduates in May … as frustrating as it all can be at times … I am still blessed, and I thank God for these moments with her.
I thank God for allowing me to be present and in her life all of these years. I have always prayed that God would allow me to be here for both of my children as they grow up and to allow me to see them graduate, go to college, get married, and have children of their own. I have often said that I want to be an old lady rocking her great-great-grandbabies on her front porch. And I still want that! I want to be in good health so that I am able to help my children with their children and things around their house. I pray that God will grant this as it is my heart’s desire to be here for my children, and I do pray that God will allow me to be healthy for many, many, many years to come in order to lend a helping hand when needed as they become independent and start lives of their own.
When so many grumble about turning another year older, I count it a blessing to be here all of my 43 years and beg God for 43 more! No, there won’t be any grumbling or complaining about turning another year older for me. I’ll be thanking God for one more year with my family and pleading for many more years to come.
So on this St. Patrick’s Day, I’m not lucky … I am BLESSED completely and totally by GOD above! And I thank Him. Oh how I thank Him for ALL of the many blessings in my life.
We had a snow day today in the South. There was a “threat” of snow, sleet, and ice in the forecast yesterday evening for today, so the schools decided to make it a snow day today. Yea!! Snow day!
When I woke up this morning, I ran to the window anticipating to see a dusting of snow. However, none was to be seen in our area today. The only thing we had was rain and a tad bit of ice which did not last long, thankfully.
My daughters and I took advantage of the time together today, though! While my oldest daughter was as snug as a bug in a rug sleeping in until way after noon, my youngest daughter and I baked peanut butter cookies! They have always been one of my favorites, and I have fond memories of making homemade peanut butter cookies with my mom when I was younger. I thought today would be the perfect day to show my youngest daughter how to make them.
I didn’t start with an “instructional” as one would think. Instead, I allowed her to continue watching television in the living room while I got the ingredients out. In my best Julia Childs’ voice, I started speaking as I was preparing to get started. My daughter immediately came into the kichen to inquire as to why I was speaking in such a weird voice, but the moment she saw the cookie sheet, her eyes got wide as the look of delight filled her little angelic face! She almost squealed as she said, “I WANNA HELP!” And I could contain my happiness no longer as I smiled so wide at her eagerness to help!
I preheated the oven as she leveled one cup of sugar in the measuring cup. Then I went in search of the Vanilla Extract in the very back of the cabinet. I could not see it initially, but I knew it was there. Dragging a heavy chair across the kitchen floor, I positioned it just right for us short people to get a good view of all of the contents of the cabinet. There it was, the tiny, thin bottle of goodness waiting for me to grab it and measure a teaspoon full right into the middle of the sugar that my daughter had just poured into the bowl. After putting the chair back in it’s place at the dining room table, I made my way back to my daughter’s side where she was eagerly waiting to crack one pearly white egg. She held this egg in her hand with great determination that SHE had to be the one to add it. And so to my daughter’s delight, she did just that as the egg shell crackled and then cracked open as she struck it against the side of the bowl. She was sure to inspect it so that no egg shell contaminated our other ingredients as she poured it into the bowl. Next up was one heaping cup full of the creamiest peanut butter on the planet – Peter Pan, that is! We added it to the bowl, and she had her little spoon going round and round in the bowl alongside mine as we made mixer noises with our mouths which only made her laugh harder at my silliness!
And there I was, side by side with my princess loving every single minute!
Now for the fun part! ROLLING the cookie dough in our hands! This was her most favorite part! It even far exceeded the excitement that she felt cracking that egg! Yep, this little girl took her teaspoon and scooped up some peanut butter cookie dough and then took it into her tiny hands and rolled it round and round, looking up at me smiling and laughing as she felt the gooey substance and fished around for more to add to it. She thought her work was through until I told her that we get to make designs on them. “DESIGNS?” she asked with her little eyebrows raised and the biggest smile on her angelic face. Yes, designs. I took a fork out of the drawer and showed her how my mother and I used to press the fork on the top of the cookie horizontally and then vertically. She smiled, then held her mouth just right as she had this determined look come over her as she made the perfect design. I nodded my approval, and she went on to the next one. By the time we reached the second dozen, though, she got a little wild and crazy with her own designs, and I just laughed and laughed! When we were finished decorating, we popped those two dozen cookies into the preheated oven and waited for 10 agonizing minutes until they were ready to take out of the oven. The house was smelling really good at about the time we heard the “ding” of the timer as it went off, and I took our goodies out of the oven. But now they had to cool before we could try them! My daughter danced off into the next room where she returned in a few minutes just in time to sample one of our cookies. She was so excited when she took a bite because they were really good! I think she was a tad bit surprised, but she shouldn’t have been for we had the world’s greatest chef in the kitchen – my princess!
Much later in the day, our oldest daughter finally woke up and got to sample our tasty treats as well. She missed all the fun, but she sure did enjoy those cookies!
While there was nary a bit of snow in sight today, we still had the best day at home making memories together on this snow day! Thank you, God, for moments like these with my children!
One of my greatest blessings came to me on a cold January day. It was the year 1997, and I was pregnant with my darling angel sent straight from Heaven above.
Feeling a little scared, but more excited than anything, we made our way to the hospital where I would be induced at 5:30 A.M. I did not mind what was to come, although I was in labor all day and into the night. Why, you may ask? Because I knew that after the labor pains subsided, I would hear the most beautiful sound; the cry of my first born daughter.
But … she had a surprise in store for us all!
At 10:26 P.M., she came into this world without a single sound. Not a peep was heard out of my darling newborn.
Fear and panic set in as the medical team worked to clear my daughter’s airway. Having just seen the movie The Hand That Rocks The Cradle did NOT help the feelings welling up inside of me. (If you’ve watched it, you’ll recall the scene I’m speaking of!)
Oh how I wanted to hold my daughter!
My blood pressure began to drop, and the medical team then began to worry about me as well. I remember crying and saying, “I just want to hold my baby … can I hold my baby …” as the nurses were getting ready to take my baby out of the room.
Finally, the doctor demanded, “Let her hold her baby!! Now!”
This beautiful 5 lb. 15 1/2 oz. baby girl was placed into my arms, and something wonderful happened. Not only did our bond solidify at that moment in time, but my blood pressure increased at a rate that the doctor said he’s never seen before.
I held my baby, smiling as I looked into her deep blue eyes and knew what was meant by love at first sight.
Ah, but in reality, I loved her way before then! I loved this little baby from the moment I found out I was pregnant. I love her still, and I always will!
It is so hard to believe that this little bundle of joy has grown from a little girl with blonde hair bouncing around the house to a brilliant, talented, and gorgeous young woman!
Ladies and gentleman, my daughter is an adult now!
Whoa …
I need a moment after letting that sink in.
She is no longer a baby but a grown woman!
Wow.
And it seemed to have happened over night, too.
On that cold January day 18 years old, an angel came to save me. And that she has! No matter what has happened in my life through these years, with a long, grueling divorce, to losing my sister in the most heartbreaking way possible (suicide), having a ruptured ectopic pregnancy resulting in the loss of one of my tubes and my chances of getting pregnant again reduced to 50%, to bullying that took place at the hands of coworkers, to remarrying but then having a bit of a rocky year in 2014, my angel has always been there – rock solid and as strong as ever giving me all of her strength in those beautiful blue eyes of hers and in those loving arms that would wrap around my neck tightly. All is right in the world when my daughter smiles at me and says, “I love you, Mommy!” Yes … even at age 18 she will occasionally still call me Mommy.
Oh how I love her! This little baby turned toddler, running around in all of her childlike wonder, leaped into her teenage years where she sought her independence, and is now dragging her heels not wishing to become an adult just yet but having no other choice as she turns 18 years old as the clock strikes 10:26 P.M. tonight.
God, thank you for sending me one of your angels straight from Heaven. Thank you for allowing me to be her mother and for us to form a beautiful family unit when I remarried the love of my life when my darling was four years old. She didn’t have to come from a broken home after all, and she didn’t. We became a family in 2002, and tears fill my eyes as I think of my husband getting down on one knee on her level to present her with a beautiful ballerina necklace as part of our wedding ceremony to symbolize the family unit. Dear Father, thank you for allowing me, despite the ruptured ectopic pregnancy and the odds stacked against us, to deliver another beautiful blue eyed miracle baby in 2004 to complete our family. Oh God, how I thank you and praise you for the many blessings in our lives – the greatest blessings that I call my daughters. Please continue to keep Your Mighty Hand upon them and keep them safe. We love them so much, and we love you, too, Jesus. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to raise this angel on earth. Amen
My ten year old daughter came home from school one day overcome with sadness. You see, earlier in the day she visited the little country store at their school where they were allowed to buy items for their family members for Christmas. My daughter told about how she picked out the perfect gift for me, one she knew I would have loved. As she was showing it to her friend, of course her friend asked to hold it. As she was doing so, it slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor. Her classmate said she was sorry, but there was no amount of super glue in the world that would put that little present back together.
As my daughter was telling me this story, I took her into my arms and reassured her that it was the thought that counts, and I appreciate her thinking of me. I hugged her tightly and gave her a reassuring kiss on her forehead and touched the tip of her nose with my finger in hopes to see a smile form across her lips. It took a few minutes, but finally, she did smile. Then she went off into her room.
Two nights ago, she insisted that I had to open a present from her. I was hesitant as I like to save my presents for Christmas Day.
Growing up, my parents would never allow us to open just one present before Christmas. They had very little money to buy gifts with, so every gift was needed to remain under the tree until Christmas Day. That has been instilled in me through the years, but with my own children, I have made allowances where they can open a gift two days before Christmas and on Christmas Eve, but the rest of the presents must remain for Christmas Day.
My daughter could wait no longer for me to open the gift, so she brought it to me and pleaded with her puppy dog eyes and begged for me to open it. I sat Indian style on the floor with her seated ever so excitedly beside me as she placed the little package in my hands. She wrapped it herself in yellow paper with brightly colored polka dots on it. The paper was crumpled by her sweet little hands that took their time to wrap this gift for me. And there she sat in front of me with the widest smile as she urged, “OPEN IT, Mama!”
And so I did.
My husband and teenager daughter were gathered around that evening as I opened the gift, and they saw what I cradled there in the palm of my hands after opening this gift from my precious daughter. A set of angel wings.
I knew instantly that this was all that remained intact from the gift she was so excited to have purchased for me before. The one that she showed her friends; the one that came crashing to the floor as her little face dropped upon seeing it broken and shattered … all except the little angel wings.
I held them in my hands and proudly showed them to my husband and daughter but not before I took my ten year old in my arms and gave her the longest hug as I whispered my thanks and appreciation in her little ears.
My husband was a tad bit confused at first as to why I only had angel wings. I did not make a big deal about it at all, though, as to it “just” being angel wings. Instead, I took the gift that my sweet darling daughter had given me and placed it along with the ornaments on our tree.
I told her how much I love my angel wings. She started talking about how she wishes it wouldn’t have gotten broken as I would have loved it. I took her little hands in my own and looked her straight into her beautiful sea blue eyes as I told her that I do love it … and I love her.
I love the giver!
I truly do!
She has the biggest heart. This little girl was so worried about having no gifts to give to her family about a week ago. I told her that she gives us all we need: love. Still, she was stressing over not having anything to give, so I told her that we would make sure that she had gifts under the tree for her sister and her father, and so I went shopping for gifts just for them from her. In the meantime, though, she went to work in her room for two days on pictures that she drew with her own little hands. She was dedicated to her drawings and making sure to give us gifts that would mean something to us, and they truly did!
She had us gather around the Christmas tree to open these gifts from her. As we sat Indian style once more, I told her father and sister how she really put a lot into these gifts. She took a lot of time drawing them and making sure they were “just right.” They thanked her for them before they ever opened them.
And then, the magic appeared as we unfolded the little pieces of paper that contained our daughter’s masterpieces!
For me, she drew two of our horses that she knows I love. Arizona and Sugar!
For her sister, she drew the nativity scene as that is the true meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate. The birth of Christ Our Lord!
For her father, she drew Elvis. Because he absolutely loves all things Elvis!
Oh this little ten year old daughter of mine blessed our hearts and souls.
It’s not about broken pieces or the remaining angel wings, and it’s not about the presents or lack thereof under the Christmas tree. It’s about her heart that is so loving and caring. It’s about her desire to give, although she thought she had very little to give. She has no idea the impact that she has had on our lives in the ten years we have been blessed to have her with us. She thrills my heart and soul and impresses me that even at this very young age, she thought of others instead of herself.
My oldest daughter came out of her room last night bearing this gift. How sweet that she thought of all of our readers here to wish them a Merry Christmas!
This Christmas, we hope you will focus more on the giver of the gift instead of the gifts that you receive.
You have probably heard the saying, “Time Waits For No One.” It’s true. Time keeps marching on whether we want it to or not.
Looking back through the years, it seemed like time was dragging by in my childhood days. Once I became an adult, though, time started to go by faster and faster – too fast for my liking! It seemed like I wouldn’t ever get through school and finally graduate, but after graduation, weeks quickly turned into months, then years, and now I look around and wonder where did the past 25 years go?
When I had my babies and was awake in the wee morning hours trying to comfort my little one with a severe case of colic, I didn’t think the hands on the clock were moving at all. Time seemed to crawl as this sleep deprived mama just wanted to lay her head down, but no rest was to be found until the right combination of gas relief drops and formula were used to combat the colic (along with riding my baby around in the middle of the night as nothing seemed to soothe her unless she was in the moving vehicle). Now, my little baby is all grown up and is a Senior in high school talking about going off to college. This leaves me wondering where has the time gone? It seems like I blinked my eyes, and she’s all grown up!
I wish I could grasp the hands of time and make them go slowly now … instead of the days racing by. My youngest daughter will soon be celebrating her 10th birthday. Oh my! It seemed like only yesterday I was cradling my little miracle baby in my arms for the first time with tears of joy streaming down my face as her little fingers wrapped around my index finger. Now, she’s walking around in her cowboy boots and Western hat jumping on the back of her horse to ride off into the sunset (okay, maybe not that dramatic, but you get the idea). She has always been a strong willed I-can-do-it-myself type of girl. Now is no different as I watch her gain the respect and control of her very large horse as she leads her around.
Time waits for no one! No one I tell you!
And then there is the other saying, “Time heals all wounds.” Is this really true? Has time really healed the wound, or is the wound still there but covered by other things to mask the pain we’re feeling? Has time allowed healing to occur since it has put some distance in between the initial shock of the moment and the present day where we’ve been allowed to deal with the issue? It’s something to think about.
But time marches on. Whether we like it or not. That is why it is so important to capture every memory-making-moment possible. Take advantage of the time you do have with your family and friends. Not a single person is guaranteed the gift of another day. We never know when our time will be up, and when God will call us home to be with Him. I pray that He allows me to be here for many, many, many more years with my daughters, but this is not promised to any one. Make the most of the time you have been given. Right here, right now, this very moment. Reach out while you still have time and let someone know that you care, that you love them, you’re thinking of them, and you’re thankful for the times you’ve shared with them.
Time waits for no one. Stop wasting time and get out there and do something for and with someone near and dear to your heart … so that when your time is up, you will leave a beautiful legacy behind.
Now is the time for new beginnings. It is the start of a new school year. While the children are moaning as they prepare for their first day back, parents are praying that their children will have a wonderful school year.
My mother-in-law called tonight to tell both of my girls that this morning in church the preacher asked for the church to pray over the children’s book bags. While we do not attend her church and my children’s book bags were not there for the service, she said that she imagined both of my daughter’s book bags in her mind. Then, she prayed over their book bags just as the others were doing in the church. This touched my heart!
As a parent, we do pray over our children. We pray for their safety, we pray for them to have a good learning experience, and we pray for their teachers and friends as well.
My daughter has been driving for a year and a half now, but I still get anxious as she waves and we blow kisses at each other as she goes down our driveway. She either calls or texts when she gets to her destination so that I know she has arrived safely. This is for my reassurance, and she happily obliges so that I feel better. I actually do sigh a big sigh of relief when I know she’s safe.
We talk before school, and even as I sit here writing this, she has been anxious this weekend. It is her Senior year, and things have happened over the summer to where she feels as if she is going into this school year without any friends. I have tried to encourage her that maybe everyone will be better on the first day of school, and hopefully, she’ll end up having a great start to her Senior year. Regardless, though, she cannot control anyone else but herself. I will be praying for her all throughout the day until I hear from her at the end of the school day when she’s gotten into her car and calls before she leaves the parking lot to let me know she is on her way home.
My youngest daughter has anxieties of her own as she goes into Fourth Grade. She is afraid that the math will be harder this year, and I’m sure it will be but know that she can handle it, too. She is one smart cookie! She is also going to have an adjustment period as she has a new teacher this year. At the small private school that she attends, she has pretty much known just about all of the teachers up to this point. Now there is a new teacher in town assigned to her grade. We met her at orientation Friday, and she seems really nice. I know that Fourth Grade is also the grade where they are growing up more, which was already starring me in the face considering that she is almost ten years old! But, the teacher even said that at orientation. She is going to make them more accountable and more responsible this school year as she prepares them for the years to come. Oh wow. This has hit me like a ton of bricks!
My babies … are not … babies any more!
As we squeezed all of the fun we possibly could squeeze in on the last day before school starts, my younger daughter asked me to ride with her in the go-cart. I agreed, and she set off around the house on her little course just as proud as ever. We didn’t get very far before I started tearing up. Yes, the go-cart ride made me cry! That sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? How in the world is that even possible? Because … I realized that life is going by so fast. My older daughter will be 18 in January, and my younger daughter will be 10 in September. I think of how I’m growing older, too, and as she rode me around on the go-cart all smiles, it tugged on my heart and I began to pray to God. I asked that He please allow me to be here with my girls for a very long time to come. I was silently pleading with Him to allow me to be here for my girls through all of the stages of their life. I want to be an old, old woman sitting on my front porch rocking my great grand kids! I want to bounce their babies on my knees and tell them all the stories about the “good ole days.” I want to have more of these precious moments with my babies. Please God, I begged … Please allow me more time with my girls. I am tearing up now even writing this all out. I just want more time. I don’t want to think of ever leaving my girls, and it certainly wouldn’t be by choice. I know that God hears me, and I just hope that He will grant my prayer so that I’m here for my babies. I want to watch my oldest graduate from high school and college, and get married and have babies of her own. I want the same exact thing with my youngest daughter.
I think of my grandma. She was 84 when she passed away, but up until the last two years of her life she was healthy. She was outside in the yard cutting her own grass and weeding her flower bed. She had so much energy and stayed busy. Then she got sick and was never the same again. However, up to that point, though, she was an inspiration, and I told her that often. She lived a long life, and she got to do exactly what I mentioned above – she had three children, and she got to see all three of them graduate and go on to have families of their own. She got to rock her grandchildren, and she also got to hold her great grands in her arms also. She watched them grow and savored every moment she had with them all. I want that as well. I pray that God will allow me to live well into my 80s and be healthy, too!
Now is a time for new beginnings for my babies as they start a new school year, and I thank God for all of the memories we made this summer. I thank God that we’re all healthy and are getting off to a great start on the first day of the new year. I’ll send my prayers with my girls as I always do, and I promise not to cry!
As Summer has come to an end, now is the time for new beginnings with the start of a new school year. Join Light Love Hope in praying for all of the children returning to school.
My grandma with my younger daughter at her K5 graduation. We love and miss you, Grandma. Give my sister a hug in Heaven and tell her I love her, too!
It seems like all of a sudden Summer has come to a screeching halt. It was fun while it lasted, but the days of sleeping in until noon for my girls will soon be over.
I sit here thinking of all the fun we had this summer and am ever so thankful that I was able to have this time with my daughters. They have grown up way too fast, and it is so hard to believe that my oldest daughter is a Senior this year while my youngest daughter is a Fourth Grader! Now is when we say:
“Where has the time gone?”
We blink, and they grow up on us!
You’ll probably laugh at this, but the other night when I was having one of my moments, my oldest daughter allowed me to cradle her in my arms just as I did when she was a teeny tiny baby. That was hilarious as she certainly doesn’t fit into my arms quite like she used to, but it was fun to take my emotional moment and turn it into one filled with laughter. The entire family burst into laughter as I held her in my arms, rocking back and forth like I used to do while singing “You Are My Sunshine” and “Jesus Loves Me.”
I am thankful for those memories. I am thankful for the ones we made that night in all of our silliness.
That is what life is all about. It is the special moments spent with those that you love doing sweet, caring, thoughtful things right down to the silliest and funniest of things. You’re living life and enjoying it with those that you love with all of your heart. Memory making at it’s finest!
Each of us are leaving behind a legacy. We may not think about that as we go about our days, but we are! It is hard to imagine that one day we all will be just a memory for someone else. We’d better make sure that it’s a good one!
I want my daughters to look back on the days of Summer that we spent together and remember all of the good times that we shared. I want them to remember the trips we took but so much more than that. I want them to remember the time we spent together. I want them to remember how close we always were and how I would do anything in my power for them. The nights that we stayed up talking until after midnight because they had something on their minds and hearts that needed to freely flow, and so we bonded in those wee morning hours together just talking it all out. That is more important to me than any trip we could eve take for it is precious bonding time with my babies.
We did have some fun this summer, though. From getting our ranch all settled in and bringing in a few more horses to add to our herd, to trail rides and time spent grooming our horses …
To taking my oldest daughter to an all day concert where she could hang out with all of her friends while my youngest daughter, husband, and I went to the United States Whitewater Center for a day of whitewater rafting, rock wall climbing, and mountain biking …
To the thrilling rides at Carowinds where my youngest daughter was ever so excited to finally be able to ride the BIG rides! She was finally tall enough to ride all but two rides in the entire park. She was so happy!
Right on down to the house we rented for our stay on Lake Wylie, which included a canoe for our enjoyment:
Ah yes, we had some good times this summer, even letting my oldest daughter experiment with her hair color … from teal
To changing her mind and hair color, too, to purple
Don’t worry, the color has all washed out now … just in time for school to start Monday!
We sure did have fun this summer and made memories that will last a lifetime.
As to the silliest we spoke of earlier, here’s a little glimpse
Take the time to make memories with your loved ones. Leave a trail of happy moments, lots of laughter, and time spent together. Chores can wait. Work can wait. They don’t stay little long. You blink, and they’re all grown up!
And so it ends … Goodbye Summer … Hello New School Year … Bring On Fall!
Not too long ago, I wrote a post entitled Memories of The Way We Were. I spoke of how I was scanning in pictures for a family from some very old scrapbooks and photo albums, some dating back to 1918! At the time of that writing, I had no idea that there would be a Part II … until this past week! I was called back to this gentleman’s house to scan in letters – boxes and boxes of letters! And these letters told great stories … heart touching stories … some even heart wrenching stories.
Berlin ,1953
Imagine seeing that little piece of history laying right before you! These particular letters were written in German, and oh how I wish I could have read them. I can only imagine the stories that they offered from that point in time.
Among the letters were documents from this gentleman’s time in the war. There were forms that he had to complete prior to enlisting, and then there were the necessary forms after enlisting such as a will. One would not think of a teenager needing a will, but the military made sure that all of their bases were covered. The gentleman’s history and physical were among the forms in the file, as well as “official” paperwork from the government. Confidential, privileged, top secret information … laying right there at my fingertips. It was absolutely amazing to me.
As I told in the previous post, I know the family, although I clearly did not know this gentleman as I wasn’t even a thought back in 1953. Having worked with the family for almost ten years, though, I have come to know the names that I saw in some of the files and on the documents. I’ve come to know the gentleman in pictures and now in letters. Beautiful handwritten letters on the finest of paper that money could buy. More
Are you ready to write without regarding to getting it “just” right? Set your timer and see where your mind takes you!
Ready?
Set?
GO!
Near or far, where ever you are … you’re always close to my heart.
Though miles may separate us and people threaten to prevent us from being together, they cannot take this from us. Ever. We are always together and close because of the connection of our heart.
I’ll never forget when my daughter was younger and red faced with tears streaming had to go with her dad every other weekend and weeks in the summer for visitation. She was only a year old when we separated, and this was hard on her to be away from me just as much as it was for me to be away from her. She was so little and didn’t understand what was going on and why we had to be apart. As the years went by, she understood a little more, but it did not stop the tears from flowing each and every time we had to be apart. I would lean in close to her and whisper that she was always in my heart just like I was always in her heart. I would reassure her that no one could ever take that away from us. Ever! Although we weren’t allowed to talk on the phone even at that point when she had to be away, she could rest in the assurance of my love and that although we were separated by many miles between us … we were always close because of the love we have in our hearts for each other.
Now, my daughter is older … entering her Senior year in the Fall. She will be preparing to go out into the real world after graduation. She’ll be preparing to leave for college. She admitted yesterday that she’s excited yet frightened for this last year of high school. I leaned in close once more and whispered that no matter what she will always be in my heart just like I am always in her heart. No one will ever be able to take that away from us … no miles … no distance … nothing! We will always be close and connected at the heart because of the strong love and mother/daughter bond that we share.
My grandma with my younger daughter at her K5 graduation. We love and miss you, Grandma. Give my sister a hug in Heaven and tell her I love her, too!
