The Pumpkin Harvest

What can I say?!?!
I love fall.
Almost all of my favorite things happen in the fall.
My anniversary and five of my children were born from Sept - Dec.

Another cool thing about fall is the pumpkin harvest. And pumpkins are one of my favorite things, too. I love pumpkin anything!! And when I was on the brink of a life changing adventure years ago, I looked out the window and saw about a zillion pumpkins. Since that day, in my mind my oldest daughter and pumpkins have inextricably linked.

This year, my oldest turned 16.
With the birth of this amazing girl, I too was born, but my birth was into motherhood. I was not a very happy or willing participant. I was ever so frightened and unprepared.

Within a week, I found myself not only a mother, but a mother to a very sick little girl. Never in my life had I imagined that I could be so worried and fretful over a person that I had barely met.

In the years that followed, my daughter amazed and delighted me and frightened and puzzled me. When we said our farewells as she faced open heart surgery just shy of 2yo, she assured me that all would be well. When I saw her tiny body after surgery practically covered with tubes and tape, she comforted me with the fact that she had been a good girl and that she wanted to get down to play. The poor child could barely sit up and speak let alone actually get down.

When she was 4 years old and her brother died before he had the chance to be born, she comforted me with her assurances that he was in heaven with Jesus and friends. She comforted me with her hugs and tears and seemed to have a wisdom far beyond her years.

She has proved to us over and over again that she is an individual and is not ashamed to be different. She puts a passion in everything that she does. She loves with a passion and cares deeply for others.

This girl is one of the sweetest and coolest girls that you would ever want to meet. She has a deep love for her friends and family and thinks the best of everyone. She has the most unusual way of looking at things. Many times, she puzzles me and other times she amazes me. She has an artistic eye like her father and while she would be great at photography, she would rather be mixing it up with people. She loves people!! She loves to talk to people and makes new friends.

Ski and I think that she is one of the bravest people that we have ever met. She will not be deterred by what anyone thinks. She is not afraid to be her own person or to walk a different path than the others around her.

She is so fun to watch with little kids. She just gets in there and talks to them. She thinks that they are funny and interesting. And the girl has a passion for the Lord that puts me to shame.

I could say a million other things about my sweet 16 girl, but I am going to stop before she comes after me. :)
Happy Birthday, my love!!
Thanks for being such a great daughter!!