16....

Today our Middle Daughter turns 16.

16 people!! 16.

She is all kinds of excited. She has visions of driving...hair flowing behind her on the open road to nowhere...anywhere...everywhere. Now that she has hit the Golden Age she knows that moving out is right around the corner and she is chomping at the bit. There is no holding back this one. She is a bird that is going to fly right out of the nest and live life.

I laid in bed this morning waiting to hear her get up. I had gotten her pearls a year ago in anticipation for today and I wanted to give them to her first thing in the morning. I wanted to be the first to tell her happy birthday.

I was laying there thinking about the day she was born. The whole time I was pregnant we thought she was a boy and even had a boy name picked out. But in my heart...in a secret place inside me..I wanted a girl. I wanted a girl so badly. I could see her in my mind. Hair all curly with big brown eyes like her daddy. Then I would sigh.

When I went into labor it hit like a ton of bricks. You know those people who get put in a wheelchair and race to the delivery room cause the baby is coming and it's coming now? That would be me. She wanted out. The whole world was waiting to be explored...and conquered...she wanted every little bit of it. As I was pushing my hubby was saying come on Andre', come on out. That was to be the baby's name. The doctor caught the baby and I laid back. Exhausted. My hubby kissed me and told me he loved me. We were happy. The doctor looked at me, as I laid there and says "You have a girl." The world slowed for a minute. I sat up and looked. Sure enough, it was her. My baby girl. The one I wished for all those months. That night, as I held her close to my heart, we talked. I told her secret women things. I told her we would be close. Best friends. That sometimes life would be hard and we would disagree but I would never leave her side. That I would love her, no matter what. That I would protect her. That life is a wondrous thing and she should grab it with both hands and live it to the fullest. I told her she was wanted. Oh was she wanted. The nurse threatened to take her to the nursery if I didn't put her in the bassinet and get some rest. I thought if someone ever dared to take her out of my arms I would rip their heads off. Then I laid there and giggled at the fierce momma bear that was me. Take her from me?? For even a second?? I don't think so! When the nurse left my new daughter and I talked some more. We laughed softly at that nurse...thinking she could separate us. heh.

Baby girl, you are one of the great loves of my life. Happy, happy 16th birthday. Go out there and live your life to the fullest and never forget you are wanted. You are wanted. So very much.