Thursday, August 19, 2010

Happy Birthday Rachel!

My oldest "baby" turns 23 today! Unlike her sister who arrived three weeks early, Rachel arrived nearly three weeks late and I was HUGE! Seriously, I was big enough to qualify for my own zip code! She was such a pretty baby with milky white skin, little tufts of hair, not quite red and not quite blonde and the most beautiful steel blue eyes. Of course everyone kept  telling me, they'll turn, babies are always born with blue eyes but Rachel's never did and they are still the prettiest shade of blue.

By the time her first Birthday rolled around, Rachel was already forming two word sentences. "Oh look" she exclaimed as she opened each gift. 
She was always inquisitive and always wanted to explore her surroundings. And she was fearless! She would give me fits every time we went shopping or to a park. I would turn my back for a second and she would be gone. I was always hysterical by the time I found her and she would be completely oblivious to the fact that her mother had been frantically searching for her. She would come running up to me, recounting all the wonderful things she had seen on her little "solo excursion"! How apropos that Rachel's favorite saying is "Not all who wander are lost" J.R,R. Tolkien

Once Rachel entered school, it was obvious she was going to excel at Math and Science. When most kids would rather suffer through a horrible case of Chicken Pox than construct a Science Fair project, Rachel relished the idea. As smart as we all knew she was, there was a time in her young life when we thought she would never read. When we finally got the diagnosis that Rachel was severely dyslexic we were determined  this would never stop her from accomplishing what she wanted to do. 

She has overcome so many obstacles and today, she reads more than anyone I know. Rachel has grown into a sweet, kind young woman with an unwavering Faith, a wonderful imagination and an unquenchable thirst to learn. She aspires to get her Masters and do genetic research on plants. We often kid that she will probably discover the cure for some rare disease some day. 

 Happy Birthday my sweet girl! 
We love you and miss you so much!

7 comments:

  1. Nan what a wonderful statement about your daughter.Thanks for sharing her with us. Happy Birthday to Rachel.

    Cindy from Rick-Rack and Gingham

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Nan,
    I can tell by reading your words that you are a very proud momma. And you should be! Rachel sounds like a wonderful young woman. Happy Birthday Rachel!! Excel! Be all that you can be! For a birthday present for you I am including one of my favorite quotes.
    Warm hugs, Laura


    "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
    Henry David Thoreau
    US Transcendentalist author (1817 - 1862)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks mom I love you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your daughter is beautiful! They grow up too fast. You are obviously proud, and should be! Thank you too for visiting me!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy birthday to your daughter. This reminds me of my daughter who will celebrate her 50th birthday in October. She was 3 weeks late too and never acted like a "little" baby. I think maybe these late babies have an advantage. Loved seeing the pictures of your daughter at different ages.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate each and every one of your comments! Thank you for taking the time to leave such nice words!