  "Soulmates come disguised in many forms." ~A. Schaefer When you have a child that's so much like you, it's inevitable that sooner rather than later the two of you are going to clash! Twenty-two years ago today, I looked into the eyes of my youngest daughter for the first time. It was definitely love at first sight, but that doesn't mean it's been an easy road. In fact, in her teen years, her father was deployed a lot which made things in our house very tense. He is a good buffer between the two of us when he's home, and when he's not...look out! Honestly, he should probably get a medal for enduring me and my clone, as dealing with me sometimes is difficult enough. Adding her to the mix makes the task nearly impossible! When they were in high school, both of my girls were asked to speak at a school function about what it was like growing up as a military brat. They invited me to attend, and I wasn't sure what to expect. My husband's deployment at that time had been particularly difficult and things at home were NOT pleasant. When it was time, my oldest got up and told some fun stories, making the crowd that was gathered laugh. She kept it light and brief, not enjoying being in the spotlight at all. My youngest went next, and the words she spoke will stay with me a long time. She said, "I really admire and respect what my dad does for our country, but it's my mom I want to talk about today. She's the one who keeps everything in our family going mostly by herself and no matter how hard it is, she always makes sure we're safe and happy. I know it's hard for her and sometimes I hear her crying at night. She's the one I want to be just like when I grow up." I was floored, tears streaming down my face. This? From the mouth of a child who seemed as if she hated me? Teenagers! What are ya gonna do?! Not long after that, the song below came on and she said, "Oh hey...turn that up. This song has always reminded me of you, mom. It's how I feel about you." I silently cried the entire time it played. Today we celebrate the day she came into this world, and really I have no words to express just what a magical gift that was...not just to us, but to the world. Be kind to my baby, please, as her Mama Lion (that's one of her pet names for me) loves her ferociously! Happy birthday my Freckles! Always, A.
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About The Author
I grew up in rural North Carolina. When I was only nineteen, I moved away and became a military wife. My only aspiration at that tender time in my life was to create an adult life that "fixed" all of the "injustices" of my childhood. Secretly, however, I wanted to reach for the sky! I wanted to be a writer and find ways to "save the world" (my mother used to say, "You have Save the World Syndrome".). Mostly, I wanted to matter. Archives
August 2021
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