In a blink...

She turned 21 TODAY!

Was it yesterday that I found out I was pregnant (officially) and my mother said to me, the 15 year old girl, "why didn't you tell me about this sooner so we could do something about it?" Ugh, that's exactly WHY I didn't say something sooner! She was a life.

Was is yesterday that I told her, when she was spending the night at a friends house, "don't cry, mommy will be back soon"? Then later when the super-obedient, perfectionist, child slammed her head into a wall she stood there with lip bulging, tears welling, trying desperately to obey until Miss Shawn said "it's okay honey, you can cry" and she wept. She was three.


Was it yesterday that she was walking on the pageant stage and I said to my mom "she is doing so good, what if she won?" and my mom said "it's all political, she is doing a good job, but she won't win" and SHE won! Little Miss Florida. She was six.


Was it yesterday when we walked to school because we had no car? It was an adventure. We would go to the park after school on the way home. She made friends. She didn't complain. She was nine.

Was it yesterday when she made up dances in the living room and performed them on video with her best friend? She was fourteen.


Was it yesterday that she got a cell phone, flew on a plane, met a boy, went on a mission trip, got her license, fell off her bike, got a car, got a dog, enrolled in college, got engaged, got married?

 Where does the time go? There we were clicking along, training our child in the way she should go... and POOF the years are gone. I look forward to the years ahead.  What a joy the future holds! Though it will not replace the longing in my heart for the past. More time to "fill her up", more time to laugh, listen and talk about things that didn't really matter (or so it seems). Oh! I wish we would have realized at the time how fast it was slipping away.

These are a few moments in a life that is treasured! The moments are many but it seems the time is not.

You may be there thinking WILL THEY EVER GROW UP?  I can't wait until I dont have to {fill in the blank}. 

I have said it too my girlfriends, and anyone who will listen, so if you are reading this now include yourself in this: Mark my words... be careful, they grow up faster than you think... it is but a blink!
Happy Birthday my precious girl!
I am so proud of the woman you are! 

This was originally posted when she turned 20; but I edited and reposted.  In case it sounds familir :)

For another post about my first born: CLICK HERE

Thankful for my first born

 One of our favorite photos!  She is 3 with a new puppy.  I love the necklace!

The beginning:
I had her when I was but a babe myself.  I was 15 and scared to death.  I remember crying on the school bus and seeing a beautiful sunset and knowing that God did that just for me because I was sad and it was beautiful.  He was showing me HIS glory! I begged asked God to allow her to be the child that ended a long line of unwed mothers.  2 for sure 3 possibly (I think my grandmother married because she was pregnant).  I dedicated her life to God on that bus.  I knew she was a gift from God and I was not going to mess this up. 

Some things I am thankful for about her:

• She increased my faith in God's plan
• Made me grow up
  
• Gifted
• Christian
  
• Beautiful
• Wise beyond her years (we joke she was born 30)
• Serious (she is more mature than me)
• Loves babies
• Going to school to be a nurse
  
• Level headed
• Faithful
• Obedient
• My mom got to love her before she died
  

Some background tidbits:

She went to public school until 7th grade; but then she decided she wanted to be homeschooled.  She was not allowed to date.  She was very active in church.  She went on mission trips to Mexico and The Czech Republic.  She learned to drive in our "Big Black" suburban;  she is a great driver and I miss that suburban.  Her favorite book as a teen was Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy.  She made funny videos with her best friend that provide laughter-until-tears to this day!  At 17 she got a dog named Snickers that I call my "grand dog."    



Another beginning:

She came to faith in Christ at 6 years old.  The person that led her to the Lord? her future mother-in-law!  Who would ever know at 6 that she would marry her son--GOD! Now you have to know these were also the people who invited us to the church in the first place.  We were not close friends.  Just coincidence? I think not.  It was God working out his plan long before we ever knew anything.  There were many things that happened in the the years between this young couple coming together.  But I love how it all ties back to the beginning.  

Courtship:
She was 14 when she started talking to Clay.  At 15 we knew it was more serious than a friendship.  We allowed them to court to determine if their relationship was "the" one.  That continued with more "good times" than bad and without either of them hating us for keeping them apart (though I am sure they had their moments).  We allowed time together in family settings.  The goal was for them to be above-reproach.  They weren't allowed to go anywhere alone together until she was almost 18.

He proposed shortly before she turned 19.  We proposed they had a long, tough road ahead of them because they were young; but that they would have our support.  Our, sorted, history would benefit them; because we know how many pitfalls in marriage there can be; and we would be sure to point every potential one out; which can sound negative when you are young and in love, but it is us just being honest. 

Here she is 17 years later (than previous photo) shortly before our beloved precious had to be put down.  We had to "re-create" one of our favorite photos.  Precious was very sick so we couldn't make her roll over.  She was 20 and Precious was 17. 

Another, another beginning:

Here she is on the night long awaited and asked of God.

Where HE showed me HIS faithfulness and beauty in His creation and timing.  A night where an all consuming peace came over me and I felt like He was saying to me "well done thy good and faithful servant." As we gave her away to her husband, we knew God was with her and was in this future the way He was in the past.  She married a man of God, she saved her self for that night, to present her self as a spotless bride.  A good friend of mine said "you did it" and it meant the world (she knew the back story); but we both knew GOD DID IT!

This couple has an army of believers backing them up on this journey.   They are girded on every side. For that I am THANKFUL!

This is an "In Everything Give Thanks" post started by Steffany

See the top right corner of my blog for more of what I am thankful for.   

*I am adding to this post a link to A Place Called Simplicity Memorial Box information.  I want to start a Memorial Box and this will be my first story.  I will represent this story with a "SCHOOL BUS"