Baby Girl's All Grown Up!

The last couple of months certainly have been a walk down memory lane for me. It all started with the letter I received from the school, asking me for a baby picture, grade school picture, and a senior picture. I had to go dig these up... and well... sit for hours gazing at photos of my precious angel being transformed from a helpless baby to a capable young woman. *sigh* I know I've posted about this before, but these are emotional times. Even though I embrace the new season of life our family is entering into, I can't help but feel just a bit meloncholy. This week I've been preparing for the celebration that will take place on Saturday, and I made a photo board - it's covered in photos from newborn infant to present day Ciara. As I reflected on these, it occurred to me what a joy she has truly been to her dad and me. I can still remember her sweet giggle, bouncy curls, all the "plays" she and her brother performed for us, then into the teen years how she evolved and grew into the woman that she is still becoming. I love that the two of us have always been more than mother and daughter, we've been friends - and I believe that even though she is going out into the world, that friendship will grow even stronger over the next years as she moves out and learns about room-mates, etc.

We are so excited about what the future holds for our girl. She is bright and has earned herself enough scholarships to pay for the first two years of college and part of the last two at FHSU, here in Hays. Scholarships are still rolling in... our girl is smart!! It helps that she scored a 29 on her ACT. She will enter her freshman year of college with 9 college credit hours. She took a virtual course and two classes at EHS for college credit. She's worked hard and will finish the year with a 3.8 or 3.9 GPA!! We are so incredibly proud of this girl!!

This next school year will be an interesting one as we will be merely filling the role of counselor, when over the years we've been teacher and coach. The bible says, "train a child in the way he should go and even when he is old, he will not depart from it." Prov. 22:6. I have to trust God's word on this one. Seriously... all the training is done, now it's up to our daughter to do what she knows is right and true. Even though our baby girl has never been incredibly social... she has never been drunk, isn't promiscuous, etc. We are incredibly blessed to have such a wise daughter - even beyond her years, sometimes. Even though this transition makes me feel just a little sad, and makes me long for my baby once again... I know that God has incredible things in store for her. As the verse on her graduation announcement says, "I will bless you with a future filled with hope... a future of success!" (Jer. 29:11) I believe it. :)

So graduation is the 16th and our company begins rolling in on Friday. We are preparing food, tidying up the house, attending the final programs of the year at at school... things are busy busy around our home right now, but soon this will all be over and Ciara will be officially graduated. She is so excited and we're excited for her! One down, one to go. We've got 3 years before we do this all over again with our man son. Once the graduations are over, I suppose we will be nearing the time that we begin discussing weddings. Oh dear! The other day I freaked Luke out by mentioning that it was probably time to start thinking about opening a wedding account and making deposits into it. He gave me a look that I can't even describe and said, "NO". ha ha. I laughed and told him that he might wanna start trying to wrap his mind around it. Not that it will happen tomorrow, or even in a year or 2... but we were married at age 19 and 20 - so it's not beyond the realm of possibility as Ciara will turn 18 in August. Oh what excitement the future holds for us all!! *smile*

Without further ado... here is the photo "Walk down memory lane" of our sweet daughter, Ciara!



Blue jeans baby


Ciara has always been a good big sister


Little miss piggy tails is turnin' into a toddler


Sunbathing beauty at about age 3


She loves her brother so much - they've always been great friends


Darling curly head. Look at that sweet face!


Little angel is keepin' the tooth fairy busy

Glasses... and her first flowers from a BOY!

Jr. High... still buddies with her little bro

Still puttin' on a show. Ciara and Brandon at their Railairres performance last weekend, oh... and her "little" brother is way taller than her! :)

I love these kids!

Goodness... my baby girl is all grown up!

The graduate!

Best of luck to you my precious girl!! I am and always will be your biggest fan! Mearzy