...the first born is READY to graduate.....

This girl is ready to graduate.  It is hard for me to believe but she is almost 23 and next week she will walk down the 'asile' and take part in the ceremony that says, 'she is done'...she is a GRADUATE of Florida Atlantic University and she can now...have a REAL job and get paid REAL money.  

Wow ..it seems like just yesterday when I snapped this photo after church one Sunday.  I do believe it was an Easter service -- she was just a little over one year old.  I can tell by the haircut and the doll or something she is holding.  Brendan is in his church clothes and the dress she is wearing was a handmade one her Aunt Becky gave her - I think it had Noah's Ark embroidered onto its front. It was one of my favorite outfits on her.  

 Where does the time go?  I know where it goes...I can see by the wrinkles on my face and the 'sagginess' with in our features.  I can see it in her - she was always a cute kid -- now she is this beautiful lady.

 She really is  incredibly beautiful- even is she is my daughter -- her eyes sparkle, her smile ( worth every penny ) radiates...and her personality --well -- it just jumps out at you.

I want to be her friend -- but she reminds me I have to wait a bit -- MOM is my first calling and it may stay that way for several more years!

I can remember sitting in Literacy First training back in the  90's and being challenged one session about 'how many words' did my 2 year old speak??  .....I remember writing down at least 400.....and then comparing the list with other moms that were teachers.

I can remember the many Saturday afternoons when she had all of the neighbor kids over and they were playing school.

I remember many nights....praying with her....

Praise God, this is HIS creation -- she is HIS.  I stop and think at times - "who is this girl?"...
"How did she get to be THIS human?"
"What will her future be like?"
"What on earth did I do ...do we do ...to deserve such a blessing? "

And I remember....we ...Both Brendan and I have been praying for her for years... She was conceived in LOVE and wanted desperately.  It took over 18 months to finally get pregnant with her ....I thought I would never be a mom.  Finally one day while in church, I heard from God...

"If you will LET me be in control -- I will grant you the desires of your heart."   HE did.
I got pregnant within that next month.  I can even see myself in the church pew after I heard from God...and knew -- this was 'not' my doing.

Now -- I  wish,  I really WOULD of given HIM total control back then...I mean, I gave HIM the control I had or I thought I had.  I gave what I could.....little did I know I had NO clue of what it really means to give God total control.

How can you when you are 24?  She will be 23 in a few months.  She reminds me often that by the time "I was 22 ..I was married"...she is single and happy - very happy right now.    She is RIGHT where HE has her -- and she knows that.  THAT is HIS confidence.  She is in a perfect place.  Graduating....loved....and anxious to be the grown up.  Anxious to be paid a real salary.

Back to Brendan and I praying for her -- she was raised in a home that loved God.  Both Bren and I loved God as much as we could...in those years - we really did not understand the whole picture.  But she was raised with two parents that sought HIM.  It was much later when the two of us got sidetracked --  She was also surrounded by godly peers and role models and we kept her busy with sports -- one tactic that is hard to commit to...but, Volleyball has played a big part of her life.  As I said, she was raised by God.....we called UPON HIM daily to meet her needs, watch over her and protect her ---  I know that is why she was so well grounded in middle school and high school and why....on a night that  - was very painful, Taylor was the first person to remind me to pray.....

She still continues to remind me - 'mom, pray'...or..'mom, pray for me'.....


We are very proud of her.  We are very proud of God in her.  She loves HIM -- she radiates when speaking about HIM...and I know she will do EVEN bigger and better things with HIS help ...as HE is going to use her in a mighty way.

I am humbled -- and very proud of her accomplishments.  She has been an 'easy' child....she only had one temper tantrum....never really caused either of us any heart ache...and she spared me  -- as I never knew about her 'rebellion' until AFTER she returned home from UF.

She loves her family and her friends.  She is going to be an awesome mother --  I can tell that already -- as she 'mothers' Eva  and others that she loves.  She is an awesome 'aunt'... to cousins in Wisconsin and here - how she dotes on them - makes them feel so loved.

She is also a talented teacher -- and I have loved watching and listening to her these past few months as she undertook Student Teaching.

She is something special.
She is our gift -- a blessing.
She is graduating from college next week.
The Lord has blessed her with a job already -- how about that?


Lord, I ask a blessing upon my daughter - I pray she will always RUN to You for each and every need and want.  Lord, I ask you will grant her favor as she begins her teaching career in a few weeks - watch over her car and her finances as she transitions from college kid to working adult.  Lord, I ask that you grant the desires of her heart -- and her secret desires as well -- I knew a few of them and I trust YOU are well into making those prayers  -- revealed soon, in YOUR time.  Lord, I have been praying for her husband and the man that YOU will bring to her to compliment her gifts as the two of them will work to further your Kingdom -- so I just say thank you for that in advance.  I have been praying for that man for almost 22 years now - I too am anxious to meet him but in YOUR time.  Lord, I pray for those grandkids you will bless Bren and I with -- God I pray the enemy won't touch them and I pray they too will live in the legacy that has been bought ...for them...the future of heaven.  Lord, I pray for the FAU ceremony next week - and all of the graduates - may each and every one of them feel the satisfaction of their accomplishments.  Lord, thank you -- thank you for Taylor...Thank you for her life, her love...and her devotion to YOU...thank you for allowing her to bless us -- YOU indeed Lord have given Brendan and I a tremendous gift.  She teases that she is not the favorite...that HP is...but she is our first born -- she is our first child..our only daughter and she is our favorite - just like Hunter is.  But God...that she is YOUR favorite means SO MUCH more to both Brendan and I ....THAT is what is most important...Lord, God that SHE would feel this ...way towards her own children one day -- THAT would be an even greater gift...amen.

Humbled -- your grateful daughter - michelle