My Daughter

The love of a child is probably the best gift you will ever get in your lifetime. As a parent when looking back at your life, like flipping the pages of an old photo album, your child will fill so many pages in your book of memories.

Each and every child you have will fulfill your life and emotions in so many ways. They will bring you pain and sadness, but for the most part they bring with them that unconditional love that brightens your world in so many ways. Not just pain and sadness, but they fill you with growth in your own life as you watch them grow and conquer challenges life presents them with.

I had lived so far out in the country when pregnant with her. The doctor was worried about me getting to him in time, so hers was a planned birth to ease my doctor's mind. Once she took her first breath and I held her in my arms for the first time, I was overwhelmed with complete joy and happiness. Unlike today, she was so small and helpless as a baby, I had no problem accepting the challenge of loving and guiding her on her way.

From the very start she was a very independent soul. She would watch and listen, but in the end always found a way to get the same result, but doing it her own way. Beautiful in the beginning, and still beautiful today.

She has a knack for grasping the hearts of all whom meet her. Truly a heart of gold. As a single parent, I had to work to put food on the table. She had to spend her days at a daycare. This is where she started to spin her web and capture the love of others. The first was the head of the daycare, he insisted on sitting by her at the Christmas party and laughed as he watched her separate her meal into a pretty design before she would eat. Another time in the cold of winter her coat had been taken at the daycare by mistake. News had traveled throughout the daycare and by the end of the next day money from parents and workers alike had been collected and given to me. Enough money to buy her not one, but three new coats!

The years went by and she developed a love for horses. Never cared much for them myself, but like a horse, she is gentle when she needs to be and assertive when she needs to be. She started going to riding lessons, and went on to doing races and entering tournaments on her riding skills. She would train these huge animals to listen, obey, and show her respect. It is quite amazing to see her in action.

She excelled in 4H as well, not with animals, but with her craft skills. From baking, to sewing her own designs, then onto painting. She can capture the beauty of anything with her pencils and colors, using nothing but her imagination and skill. She won countless ribbons and trophies while in 4H.

As a teenager, she packed her a suitcase one day and moved to another state. Circumstances I won't get into had led my precious girl far away. This was one of the hardest things a parent can go through with a child. When they are so far away, you can't help. She had gotten really sick and I was knee deep in prayers for her recovery. She recovered and returned home before years end. This was a good thing, thought my heart was shattering into pieces while she was gone. She is strong and a survivor of great strength.

Today she still continues to amaze me. She had stayed in school when she had moved out of state. I would mail her the books and she graduated with flying colors. She plans to continue with her education and go to college soon. I have no doubt she will conquer this too.

Still has an artsy crafty way about her. She paints beautiful things for her friends and family. Recently she repainted the exterior of her home with her equally amazing boyfriend. They topped it off by painting and attaching planters to their front windows, filling the planters with both flowers and herbs. They even planted flowers in the front yard enclosed with red mulch. Looking at their home from the front, it's a patriotic dream. Red, white, and blue. Even the mailbox was painted and designed to match. It is art at its best.

Her love of animals has continued into her adultness. She has created an online site to match animals that need new homes. Thousands of members use her sight and so many animals have been saved and united with new families to love them.

This daughter of mine has had me experience every emotion possible, except for hatred. Thinking about having kids of your own? She is proof enough that you can have that unconditional love from another human. being.