Birthday thoughts

I've felt all these years that I wasn't really the one in charge~raising this girl, this "old soul" in a child's body. She was here to teach me a thing or two, and I have been so incredibly blessed to have her in my life. And so I share my thoughts of Rachel on this, her 24th birthday~

Was it me hanging on to her so tightly or her reluctance to come into this world that made my labor 36 hours long: Trying everything, walking the halls, even getting on my hands and knees trying to get her to turn the right way, desperately pushing to get this 9lb screaming dark-haired child into the light. Her gusto, patience, and tenacity were evident from the start. She started Kindergarten a year early 'cause she was ready to go..."just drop me off Mom", and she never looked back.

We've always put an extra candle on her cake in honor of her shared birthday with Grandad Brown, she's never minded, she's good that way~oh except for sharing her name~Rachel was known as Sissy for the first 3 or 4 years of her life, and then Natalie came along and Calvin called her Sissy, Rachel immediately let him know "She's not Sissy, I'm Sissy"!

Rachel's strength is a quiet one, and so much like her Dad, it's often hard to know what's going on inside of her. But in her quiet way her example of faith shines through and is a beacon to me, a reminder that there is more than the here and now. My hardest day as a mother was when I had to watch my child put her first-born son in his grave and my ability to protect her was gone, it was beyond my power. But I have learned from Rachel's example that the power we can rely on is the Lord's, He is our strength and where our happiness will come from. We are a forever family~and so glad to have Rachel LeeAnn as our daughter. Happy birthday Sissy!