Happy Birthday Stephanie

I'm taking a weekend break from Christmas rerun posts to wish my daughter a happy birthday (one day early) and hopefully be able to write a Sunday Afternoon Tea tomorrow. The uh... computer repair person... still has mine hostage. I keep reminding myself we are saving money. :)

I had to use the same picture from last Christmas so both the little girls are one year older and Stephanie is no longer expecting a baby. Matthew is a cute and chubby seven month old. Still, it is a good picture.

It is almost impossible for me to believe this is the THIRTIETH birthday. Why, it wasn't that long ago that I was having a birthday dinner at our favorite restaurant in Holland, Michigan and saying there was no way I COULD BE THIRTY. Tempus does fugit...

There is nothing better than raising a daughter (a son is a very close second but he doesn't like girly stuff). We both loved walking the boardwalk in Sagatuck, visiting the gourmet shop in same town, breakfast out, when a new book in our favorite series came available (how many trips to Pooh's Corner did we make each month?), shopping in downtown Holland for Christmas, Tulip Time festivities, visits to the Queen's Inn for a charming lunch and then play time at Dutch Village, visits to the beach... just long enough so we didn't burn, and watching your Mamaw spoil you silly.

As you grew older, I became amazed at your intellect as well as your singing ability. You certainly inherited neither of those from me. I mean, really... I'm an intelligent person but you were what we called "scary smart". At least until the children arrived. I can't sing anything. I can't even hum a tune. But I love to listen to you.

It's wonderful to have someone else who knows just the book I'd love (and a son-in-law who buys it for me), the perfect garage sale and clearance finds, someone who understands my obsession with Charlotte Mason's style of homeschooling, who likes nature walks but who also isn't an "outdoor kind of girl", who doesn't question the years I wore only black and navy and red and white, and who thinks of me when driving through Brimfield.

It brings me great peace as well as excitement to know the next generation is being raised in a very "Schaeffer-esque" kind of way. Well, Schaeffer meets Sproul and Piper.

I loved it when we looked so much alike, people would get us mixed up. It would be wonderful if it were still like that today. For your sake, I'm glad it isn't. :)

My motto always was, when you raise a daughter you are raising your own best friend. How true. If you were here I'd put up all kinds of banners and posters. We would take you to our favorite Italian restaurant and just like on your 21st birthday... we would toast you with champagne. Well, since none of us are drinkers I'd have only coffee so I could drive us home. That one toast may throw us for a loop!

Since I'm a thousand miles away, I've already sent your "Birthday in a Box" (with chocolate!). That will have to do for now. I pray you have a wonderful birthday and a very blessed year. I hope you find your brains, too. They'll come in handy with the grandchildren.