This Marks a Decade

Today, ten years ago, I was exhausted from 30 hours of unmedicated labor which 

resulted in a stinking c-section.

I was also so overwhelmed with love for our first child and in love with her daddy.

This child, I was certain was going to be a boy.

Wow, was I wrong.  We were blessed with a beautiful blue-eyed girl.

 This is one hour before she arrived.

Meeting our sweet girl.

 Getting ready to take her home. (Who gave these young kids a baby, for real?)

Today is Leah's 10th birthday and I am going to spend sometime gushing over her so,

please pardon me.

 I have decided to capture my thoughts in list form.

Top Ten Reasons and Memories We Love About Leah

(in no particular order...and certainly not all-inclusive)

10) This kid is a knockout! 

 I love that she has her dad's big blue eyes and I'd kill to have legs like her.

  

  9)  She is a great sister and can be very protective.

Once, when Porter was having trouble with another boy, she stood up and said to him very sternly,

"Why didn't you tell me?  I would have intervened!"

(Keep in mind that they are very close in size.)

Although being the big sister can be tough sometimes, we often find her reading to the little ones, teaching them in her "preschool," holding a hand in the parking lot, or helping Maryn at therapy sessions.

Sometimes Maryn will say, "I want my Leah.", when she is off at school.

8)  This girl is so smart.

I remember a few years ago when, out of the blue, she asked us "Why aren't there better ways to make a oil rigger so that they wouldn't leak into the ocean?"  Then she went onto to brainstorm ideas on how she'd make it better.  As her parents, we just stood there a little caught off guard.

She also LOVES to read and always has great questions.  

She recently told me that Moby Dick is one of her favorites.

(In my opinion, this makes her a bit crazy.)

(This picture is totally unrelated but I love it! This is when the crowd at Disney World parted and she got her first glimpse of Cinderella's castle.  Magical.)

7)  Leah's heart is sweet and she can be very compassionate.

When we traveled through the journey of becoming foster parents, she was always reminding us, 

"Why wouldn't we do that?  It's a great thing!"

I also remember hearing her when she was around 3 years old, thanking God, as we drove by a home that had recently caught on fire.  She saw roofers repairing the roof and wanted God to know how thankful she was for them.

This is a picture of one of times when she grew her hair to donate to Locks of Love.

6)   Leah is a talented writer.

She uses great details and humor to tell her stories.

She also loves to write poetry and to keep a journal.

She told me that writing sort of "sets me free."

I will ask her if I can share some of her work someday.

Currently, she is working in class on a story about, "how Maryn's laugh makes me realize how life is worthwhile."  (She's a bit of an old soul.  Can you tell?)

5)  She makes us laugh.

She is witty.  Her jokes are often about me, but they are still funny.

One day she told me, " You know Mom, Porter is just like you...but he's funny!"

4) She makes me cry.

Leah can be very sensitive. She can also be very intuitive.

She knows when you are sad, and steps in.

She had a fantastic relationship with my Mom, and she has never let that love and relationship fade.

She reminds me of memories with my Mom often, and sometimes we cry together.

3)  Leah tries new things.

She has tried gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, karate, drama, choir, Girl Scouts, sports, school clubs, etc.

She gets nervous but likes to lead.

She says her favorite food right now is sushi (California Rolls).

She recently told me that she would like to try football (I don't think so.).

2)  Leah is a hard worker.

She likes to do well and works hard.  She is persistent.

1)  Leah made me a mother and took my breath away. 

She was the first to call me Mom. 

It all began with her.

We love you Leah, to the moon and back.

We can't wait to see what amazing things you do in the next decade.

Happy 10th Birthday.