28 years ago in a land far far away...

Okay so it wasn't that far away (only a few miles) but just go with me on this; after all it's my birthday, so you have to. I am 28 today! WOO-HOO!

I was trying to find baby pictures last night for me to use on this post but all my baby pictures are in storage apparently so these will have to do. They're the closest to baby pictures that I could get.



On the far left is my oldest sister Traci. Next to her is my adopted sister Lisa (that was before we adopted her though). Next to Lisa is our childhood friend and neighbor Amy who was adopted from Korea. On the far right is your's truly. Yep, I know, I was pretty cute, huh? We're holding little stuffed animals that my grandmother made for us.



This is Traci and me in 1981. Again, I know, so cute, right?! I am pretty sure it was taken at my grandparents house. I loved that house. It had an inground pool, an attic that was our "tower" and we were the princesses, a rec room in the basement where we built forts, and a screened-in porch where we drank lemonade and ate ice cream. We'd gather there for Christmases with the whole family. I miss that house. So many memories there...

I am the baby of the family. The youngest. The most spoiled. Daddy's girl. Lisa (the adopted one) just turned 29 2 days ago and Traci will be 33 in September. When we were little everyone thought Lisa and I were twins, which is odd because I don't think we looked anything alike. Of course, it could be because our parents were know to dress us alike on occasion. Yes, they did.

My birthday this year started yesterday when my dad came and took me to lunch at The Lodge Bar and Grill where Canyon Cafe used to be. When I got there the waiter asked me if my birthday was tomorrow (which is today). "Yes," I said skeptically. He then pointed me around the corner to where my dad was seated. He gave me a card. This is the front of it.

It was the most perfect card ever. Seriously, it could not have been anymore perfect. It totally tied in with the book I am reading. "Precious jewel, you glow, you shine," was on the front. Inside it said, "Here's to another year of becoming more beautifully you." This is perfect because lately I have felt exactly that - like I was becoming more beautifully me. I have felt more like me than I have in a long time. Well, I haven't really known who I was but I have been discovering that. I have recently started feeling mroe and more beautiful, more and more like "the crown of creation" that God created me to be.

His hand-written message was the best part. I won't share that with you. The book I am reading talks about how we, as women, learn the value of being a woman from our fathers. Growing up I didn't get that affirmation all that much. My dad has done a lot of changing within the last 5 years - but the last 2-3 years especially - and has become this incredible father that I always wished for. He did the best he could and I know that but there was still a lot of pain endured that has caused me a great deal of heartache over the years. There's been a tremendous amount of healing there and I am so proud of him and thanful for him. His card to me could not have come at a more significant time in my life. It was perfect. It was total affirmation of the work I have been doing, the things I have been discovering about myself, the beauty I am beginning to see in me. Thanks Dad. I love you!