Happy 17th birthday, our precious Bug!

Birthdays for my Bug are held with the sweetest joy and yet the deepest sorrow. Every year. The week of her birthday I am both filled with such gratitude and at the same time….grief. 

Seventeen. It came so fast! It doesn’t look like I would’ve imagined or planned. Honestly, it breaks my heart some days. Grieving the losses of typical things like going on college tours, dating and proms, driving and curfews, on hearing her hopes for the future or knowing her thoughts, likes and dislikes. Those are things I truly do grieve. This side of heaven, I will likely always have the ‘what ifs’ plaguing my heart. But there’s more than just grief…there is hope. Hope that Jesus makes all things new! Hope allows me to relish the good stuff alongside the hard!

With our Bug there is unspeakable joy and gratitude every day!!! Life with our Bug means we never miss a day without her smile, I never argue with her over what to wear, she’s always got a high five ready (well, most of the time, haha), she’s guaranteed to make you laugh at some point, she can say ‘mama’ and melt me, the girl will lose her mind over some Sonic tots and bougie ice cream (she only has expensive taste in ice cream) and she brings empathy and compassion to the forefront of our minds as a family. She’s one of the greatest teachers I’ve ever known. She never preaches or lectures with words…her presence is just how God uses her to show me more and more of Who He is and what His plan looks like.

Our girl is simply marvelous. She’s a miracle. A gift from God above. She challenges me emotionally, spiritually and physically. The love we, as a family, have for her is unconditional and deep. The hard is really hard, but the joy is unparalleled!! 

Seventeen years of the privilege of being her momma. In God’s great design even amidst this broken world, I was the one He called to be her mother….and that doesn’t feel right for me to be gifted something so utterly priceless. That’s just who God is. The Giver of all good things.

Intentionally choosing joy today. Happy birthday to our beautiful daughter! Your momma and daddy adore you. So do your sisters! Praising God for the years we’ve been blessed with you that we never knew we’d have! Oh, baby girl, how loved you are!!!

♥️Momma