Sixteen

Sixteen

Today my youngest daughter is sixteen years old. Actually she will be sixteen at noon. I tell Avery every year on her birthday that “Although your birth certificate says 1:00 PM it is actually 12:00 PM.” It is a tradition, I know it is something that Avery looks forward to…or maybe not. I should know when she was born because I was there and since I was being induced, I was watching the clock. I was concerned that I would be like one of my dear friends that had been in labor for something like 36 hours, I was going to have NONE of that business! So the nurses or whoever made up the documents were wrong, BAM…end of story, my baby, my time!

I also tell Avery and most anyone that will listen, that if I had not been induced, Avery would still be comfy cozy in my womb. My baby girl loves her sleep and she seemed to be very cozy in my womb. While her sisters were doing back flips, belly flops and writing on the walls until they joined us in this world, Avery was calm and relaxed and just cruising along. The whole idea that we wanted her up and around is still a difficult concept for her to grasp. Every morning it is a complete surprise that she has to get up, unless of course, something fun and exciting is happening that day, for example…HER BIRTHDAY!

When I was younger and giving my Mom a hard time, or plopping on the couch or sitting down knees first, my Mom would give the traditional curse “I hope when you have kids of your own they____________!!!” Insert into that blank, things like, “Jump on your furniture or give you a hard time or break your things, it was never ending and I assumed that I was doomed when I had kids of my own. The truth is I am not cursed at all, I am blessed. Being a Mom is what I do and it took three bright shining starry eyed girls to give me the best job I have ever had.

Avery is the best of both Mark and I with a good amount of God’s love mixed in. She is tender hearted and loving. She is smart and funny and best of all Avery is a very good friend. She takes to heart that you treat others the way you want to be treated. Actually, when we were planning her big 16^th birthday sleep over party for tomorrow night, we had to keep expanding the guest list because she could not bear to leave any friends out and have them hurt. Even with the guest list at 10 girls (Please pray for me!) she is still sad that there were some that we just could not add due to space.

I knew how blessed I was when Ashleigh was born and I was certain that I had been put on this earth to be her mother, but I had no idea that God would trust me so much that he would give me two more of his angels to care for. The only way I can thank Him for this blessing is to keep loving them and raising them and putting up with their teenitudes until they are on their own and even then, I will have the good fortune of sticking my nose into their business (right, Ashleigh?) because that is what this Mom does.

Avery, your love is truly one of the blessings in my life. Thank you for loving me and understanding me. Your path will be long and your life will be fruitful. All that meet you will be drawn to you and the world is yours to conquer! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!