Happy Birthday Jordyn!!!

As I finally lay my little girl down to sleep after this long and busy day, I finally find time to contemplate the bitter sweet moments of this day. This day marks the end of one chapter, and the beginning of another. My precious, sweet, innocent little baby is a memory of days gone by, and now before me stands a beautiful, inquisitive, very active, very independent little girl. Its amazing how much things can change in one short year. To me, it seems like only yesterday when I was holding my angel for the first time, only yesterday, she was so dependent for me to fulfill her every need. Then quickly, as time went by, we saw her first smile, heard her first laugh, and so on it went with many firsts. The firsts are still coming as she continues to learn new things, but many of these new adventures are things she seeks out to learn on her own and she explorers her world around her. Now are the days of dreams and adventures told to her babies in the early hours of the mornings in a language that only they can understand. Some days, as I lay in bed and listen to her talk to her babies, I wish that she were telling me her stories. I envy those dolls for the trust and the friendship that she has with them. Don't get me wrong, she'll talk to anyone who comes by, and she loves giving kisses and waving good-bye to all whom she meets, but no one gets the attention and the concentrated conversation that her babies do as she lay in her crib planning her adventures of the day. More and more every day she starts to talk in a language that I can understand. She tells me things about her babies, and she goes and gets her shoes when we go bye-bye. She is well conversed in the language of the cows (moo) and sheep (baa), and she frequently reads about the animals in her books. She is also learning to talk with her hands and tells us when she is all done eating, and asks please when she would like a treat. I remember with fond memories, my sweet, innocent babe, and I look forward to the future with riding bikes, driving cars, and going off to college, but I am truly enjoying the now. I love to watch her as she plays and probably waste away much of the day just admiring this little wonder that is in my home, this precious spirit that has brought us so much closer to our Heavenly Father, this little challenge who has taught me more than she herself has learned, this little angel who won my heart on that special day one year ago. I am truly grateful for all the wonderful memories I have of the past year, all of the first steps, first kisses, first words, even the first teeth, the first time she was sick (for this was one of the rare occasions that all she wanted to do was to be held, and rocked). I love the adventures I've had, the trials I've conquered, and the lessons I've learned. For she may have learned, and grew a lot in the past year, but I learned, and grew even more. I look forward to the things that she will teach me in the future and the adventures that we will have together. I hope that this next year will be as great, if not greater than this past year. I love you my little one and I hope that you had a very, very happy birthday. Sleep tight my angel.