One Sweet Daughter

Last Saturday, the 4th, was Leanne's sweet sixteenth birthday.

It was a busy day because I was helping get set up for the Winter Formal dance that night.  Leanne spent most of the day with her friends, Laura and Shaleah, and they were nice enough to make a cake for her!

Happy Birtday, Leanne! :)

Then the girls got ready for the dance...but more on that later.....

Wow~ my baby is sixteen- can that be? 

She was just born yesterday.  I remember it very well.  It was a cold night.  The labor started in the evening but when we called about 3 a.m. they told us to stay home as long as possible as they wouldn't call the on-call doc until after 6 a.m. 

Here's me just before getting into the van to go in, about 5:50 a.m. 

Bill wanted to know if he had time to take a shower.  I said "No! Does it LOOK like you have time to take a shower? NO!"  Thank God I said no.

Bill dropped me off at 6 a.m. at the ER doors and went to park.  When he came in they already had me upstairs to the birthing room.  The nurse gave me gown to put on and said she would be back to check me.  The moment I laid on the bed my water broke and I may have yelled something like, "HELP ME!"  The nurses came running.  They called the ER doctor.  He had never delivered a baby before- Bill said he was shaking like a leaf.  After two pushes Leanne popped out and said "I'm here!!! Ready or not!!".  It was 6:12 a.m.  Wow!  Bill told me, "It's a girl!"  I said, "Are you SURE?"  I cried.

I could be wrong but I am pretty sure she was the sweetest,

most adorable baby girl ever to be born on this earth. 

Her big brudders thought she was "gorgeous".

And then the parties started--

I can't imagine our family without Leanne, she is sugar and spice! 

She is adventurous, honest, creative, determined, athletic, ambitious. 

She is growing in her faith and self-confidence and discovering her strengths and passions. 

I am sooo thankful God blessed us with privilege/challenge of raising her!

Here's one of my favorite photos of Leanne.

She was busted after sneaking a kitten into her bed.

I didn't have the heart to get upset.  Kittens melt me too.

So Happy Sweet Sixteen, Leanne, I love you!!

~Mom