Happy Birthday, Gidget!!!

(Lots of pictures... I know. But I rarely share them...)

I just cannot wrap my brain around the fact that my baby is now NINE! How can that be?? Wasn't I just bathing her in the kitchen sink? I'm sure I was just picking her up when she fell while trying to take her first steps! It seems like yesterday... but it was years ago now. The memory of each milestone is still etched in my brain and on my heart, but the reality is that she's growing up a little more every day. And she's going to keep doing that. I don't want to be a force that tries to hold her back. I want to be the arms that still follow behind her to catch her when she falls. I want to be the cheerleader who cheers her on as she accomplishes each goal... no matter how seemingly small.

The truth is that I just LOVE being her Mommy. I wanted a house that was filled with children my whole life. God had other plans. He gave me one child and she fills our home with so much joy! It's such an awesome responsibility, and I often feel like I'm failing miserably as a Mom. But, I have to shoo away those thoughts and push forward. Each day is a new day with new opportunities to teach and mentor her.

Above all else I want her to grow into a woman who truly loves God with all her being. This may seem strange to some, but my husband and I have been praying for her future husband for as long as I can remember. I pray that he stays safe and that he grows to love God with all his being, and that he will love my daughter the way God intends for husbands to love their wives: as Christ loves His bride, the church.

I'm feeling very... I don't know how I'm feeling. When it hit me that Gidget is now half way to 18 I just thought I'd have a heart attack! It aches so much... but I don't want to dwell so much on what is behind that I miss enjoying what is right here, right now. You know what I mean?

We had a great time celebrating her birthday. I made up little clues and gave them to her one at a time. One was about the surprise visit from Grandma and Grandpa. Another was that she got to go to the donut shop for breakfast on Monday followed by a trip to the aquarium. It was homeschool week there so we got tickets at about half the regular price. My friend met us there with her 4 kids. That made the day so much fun for Gidget! After that, she got to pick where we ate dinner. She really enjoyed getting the clues and trying to solve them. (I'm wondering if it would have been enough just to give her a riddle book and save the $$! LOL.)

Anyway, happy birthday to my baby girl! As I'm always telling her: You may not be a baby anymore, but you'll always be my baby! I love you!!