Happy Birthday, Delaney!

Beauty isn’t about having a pretty face. It is about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and most importantly, a beautiful soul.

My daughter does have a beautiful soul – plus the pretty face, pretty mind, and pretty heart. There are so many things to express about this complex young lady. I’ve started this blog post a half a dozen times, and there is always too much to say about any given aspect of her. Instead, I choose to celebrate her seventeenth birthday through a series of photographs and brief glimpses into her life – and hope that I do her justice.

BIRTH – When we conceived Delaney, we knew she would be our last. We already had two boys, so I was content for a third. I even thought that I preferred a boy. But then, exactly five weeks and three days before Delaney was born, my BFF Lisa Morgan gave birth to a little girl. Lisa also has two older boys – about the same ages as mine. The birth of Emma set off a spark that made me think that having a daughter might be kind of special. Here, her brothers are meeting her for the first time.

LADYBUGS – As I have mentioned before, Delaney quickly took on the nickname ‘laneybug.’ And yes, I became that crazy mother who dressed her child in ladybugs whenever possible.

GARDENING – As a toddler, she did love to get her fingers dirty in the garden. Much to my dismay, gardening no longer interests her. I will just have to hold onto these sweet memories.

SMART – In grades 5-8, Delaney attended one of the top schools in the nation – a charter school focused on academics. With each report card, they had an award system built on gold and silver balloons. As I scrolled through my phone searching for photos, I came across so many balloon pictures. I just had to post one! Delaney is a bright young lady. She’s intelligent and she works hard.

TRAVEL – At 15, we let Delaney backpack around Europe with Cooper. He shared his love of adventure; she was a quick learner. They worked in tandem to navigate transportation, accommodations, food, sightseeing and experiences. She loved every minute!

DANCING – After trying soccer, volleyball, and basketball, Delaney finally found her people in dance class. In middle school, she spent hours each week taking classes in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and hip hop. In high school, she took her talent and joined the Pom team.

SPIRIT – Delaney is all about being involved and going all out. Whether it’s student council or powder puff, academic team or cross-country, Delaney is prepared to show enthusiasm and to give it her all.

EVERYTHING – This picture is meant to represent all of Delaney’s traits that are impossible to capture in a photo. Kind. Compassionate. Loyal. Thoughtful. Witty. Considerate. Sincere. Passionate. Motivated. Diligent. Courageous. Reliable. I’m probably missing a few …

Knowing that Delaney would be my last child, I promised to savor every moment; to take nothing for granted. I cry each year on her birthday because another year has gone. And as much as I try to savor each moment, time passes far too quickly. I am so blessed to be her mother.

Happy Birthday, Bug!