“I hope when you get married and have kids, you have a daughter just like you!” Those words are what I call the dreaded “Mother’s Curse”, the words that probably should have made me think twice before having kids of my own; the words I’m sure my mom said to me on a daily basis when I was growing up.
My mom’s wish came true in the form of a 7 lb, 11 oz brown-eyed bundle of joy who I soon discovered was full of piss and vinegar. Lynsay Michelle, born on April 25th, 1988 was welcomed into this world by two parents who had no idea how their world had just shifted under their feet and by a brother who thought his newborn baby sister was the best live toy ever.
It was no surprise that she had her dad wrapped around her finger in less than 24 hours and her mom vowing to beat to a bloody pulp the first boy who would ever dare to break her heart.
She brought a light into our lives that to this very day, continues to shine as bright as the brightest star. And, it was only a matter of days before I realized that this beautiful child reminded me of someone. Me. She is definitely her mother’s daughter. Even KJ will say, “She’s just like you.” Now granted, sometimes when he says that, I’m not sure it’s a compliment!
Headstrong. Stubborn. Passionate, kind and loving. Cheerleader of the underdog and for those who are less fortunate. Cruelty breaks her heart. She dances through life one pirouette at a time, never once missing a beat.
I’ve seen her courage and her strength on a daily basis since the day she was born. She learned early in life to voice her opinions, to stand up for what and who she believes in and to always speak her mind. She dances to the beat of her own drum and I wouldn’t want her any other way.
Like most mothers and daughters, we’ve butted heads many times throughout her 22 years. She’s been the reason for countless sleepless nights and several gray hairs. During her teenage years, whether it was fashion, boys, curfews or piercings, we often disagreed. If I said be home at 10:30, she’d walk in the door at 11:00. But sometime over the past few years, we’ve seemed to have formed a different type of mother/daughter relationship, one that I deeply treasure. I have a deep respect for her and all that she’s accomplished.
Whether it’s our daily phone conversations, our random conversations on Facebook or the ‘Holalala’ text messages that make me giggle, she is and always will be my Stinkerbell, a nickname I gave her when she was about 2 or so.
On this day, her 22nd birthday, I have the same hopes and dreams I’ve had since the day she was born . . .
May she love and be loved with a passion that only gets stronger as each day goes by. May she find a man to stand by her side not only on the good days but also on the not so good days. I hope she never loses her childlike sense of wonder. I hope love and laughter continue to fill her heart. I hope she never loses faith, always dances and never gives up on her dreams.
22 years ago today, the ground shifted beneath our feet. Our lives were missing something we didn’t even know about until Lynsay was born. Our family of four was complete.
Happy Birthday, Stinkerbell. You are the star that continues to shine brightly for me . . . wherever I am. I love you . . . to the moon and back.
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