Sweet 16

With all the surprises I may face in any given day, it takes me nearly an hour to pray though my daily prayers every morning. My only hope is that God's not up their with his hands over his ears singing "La la la la la." Though I ramble on a lot during this time, I'm sure He's listening as He always answers my prayers in His time and in the matter in which He finds most suitable.
  
 Many years ago, if I were to look into the future and see myself today with 5 children, I probably would have gotten myself confused with someone else. Since my husband Mike and I were married within a short 9 months after our first date, the thought of having any children was somewhat daunting. Evidently we had some growing up to do.
   
I remember it was early in June of 1998 about 3 years later when I became overjoyed as I learned that I would be giving birth to our firstborn. It was a dreadfully long day that day as I waited for Mike to come home from work. With a kiss to my belly He welcomed my announcement . It was fathers day when I called home to reveal the news to mom and dad. I remember dad remarked that I had given him the best fathers day present ever. Just about 3 weeks short of nine months later on January 28th 1999, 5 days before my 30th birthday, I gave birth to Rebecca. She was born 18 days early at just over 6 pounds.

As we fast forward 16 years later, it is now a wild and crazy Friday night with the cousins over and you would never know that 5 kids plus 2 cousins would have ever been born from musical parents after a pandemonious singing of Happy Birthday. Madi is yelling at me as I point the camera at her and laughing and we are eating pizza for the third time this week. Rebecca had been anticipating this day a months in advance.

We saw the time line begin at Veggietales and on through Justin Bieber, NASCAR and finally Mine-craft. She won a blue ribbon at the Special Olympics for the 50-yard dash, traveled internationally and got baptised this year. After many years of IEP meetings, opinionated play group parents, and unanswered questions, we knew she would be just fine. I am not ready for her to be old enough to drive nor I am ready for her to become an adult in 2 short years. 

She is much like me. We know who we are even if others don't understand. We love being different!


                                              For Rebecca with love on her sweet 16!

                    












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