Happy Birthday to My Daughter

February 13th is one of the best days of my life, because it's my little girl's birthday.  My 'Baby Bean'.  Okay.  So maybe she's my Baby Bean that has grown up into my Teen Bean.  Yeah.  Teen Bean.  That's more accurate.

- Everyone warned me that these years would come and go too quickly.  And they were right.
- Everyone warned me that this sweet little girl would become a teenager someday.  And they were right.
- Everyone warned me that this sweet little girl who would become a teenager someday would do teenager things like...throw me attitude, because I'm the alpha female of the household.  And want to be with her friends more than she'd want to be with her family.  And hang on the phone for hours on end.  And be concerned with fitting in.  And wouldn't want to be in my presence in public, because I'd be embarrassing.

And they couldn't have been more wrong.

My daughter has never...and I mean never...so much as looked at me crooked.  She's pure sweetness.  Well, unless you're viewing this from my son's perspective.  She does enjoy pushing her brother's buttons once in awhile for good measure:-)  As for talking on the phone?  She won't even answer it when someone calls.  She doesn't have a cell phone, nor does she want one.  She dislikes 'technology', therefore, does not own nor desire to own the latest I-whatever.  The only kind of shopping she likes to do is at the local consignment shop.  The only 'labels' she likes to wear?  "Flyers", "Phillies", and "Eagles".  Furthermore, she loves to accompany me wherever I go, because she thinks my antics are funny, and because she's never quite sure what I may do next.  These are the exact reasons my husband dislikes accompanying me wherever I go.

Maybe she's my Anti-teen Bean?

She has perhaps the most convicted heart for the Lord that I've ever seen.  She's my biggest inspiration.  Her life's desire is to enter the missions field and become an author.  She's in the midst of writing about 5 books.  What's she write about?  The Lord.

Some things are best described in pictures.

Here she is, creating a poster for World Vision's 30hr Famine to provide for hungry children:

Here she is, with the brother, thrilled to see her great-grandmother at the nursing home.

What teenager is excited about choosing a pumpkin with her family?  This one.

And what teenager creates this on the computer?

I guess the answer to that is...mine.

Some people have wondered if she's too timid and shy for her own good.  They've asked me if we've sheltered her too much, thereby creating a fear of the world deep within her.  What they don't know is...she's way up there:

...and there.

...and she has no problem standing in front of the 'You Are Entering Ravens Land' with her Eagles jacket on.

...or openly admitting that she someday wishes to 'noodle' for catfish down south, while the brother shakes his head.

...or being the Captain de Fishing Boat.

I suppose she does have some things in common with her peers.


She wears makeup.  If you're counting school spirit days?

She has also been relentlessly harassing me about getting a car.  This one:

Why?  Because it means the world to her.  It's her grandfather's car - the keys to which he handed me on my 16th birthday.  It was a force to be reckoned with back in those days and shall be in due time.  Thankfully, it's not in my name and I can place full responsibility of handing over those keys...on him;-)  This shot was taken a couple of summers ago, while my husband was tinkering with it.  See her stalking it in the corner?  Patience, Baby Bean...patience.  One cannot simply jump into a '72 LeMans and consider it theirs.  One must receive 'The Talk'.  One must receive 'The Lessons' (like when he took me out in the snow for what he called "a driving lesson", but in reality, was attempting to kill us both.  Because come on, who stomps the pedal through the floor in a giant, powerful, rear wheel drive car and says, "steer out of it"?  If you answered with "Army Dad", then you're right!  Clearly, we made it and I'm a pretty decent snow driver as a result of said frightful event:-).  One must also receive 'The History'.  Then, and only then, can one receive...The Keys.  Now that will be a Kodak Moment if there ever was one:-)


Dear Baby-Anti-Teen Bean,

Happy Birthday to you!

You are truly an inspiration.  I do not have the proper words to express what you mean to me.  Thank you for shining the light of Christ in all you do.

In addition, thank you for not being embarrassed of me.

When I grow up, I want to be just like you:-)

...and just remember, I don't own that car.  Granddad does.

All my love,

Mommy