Happy Birthday, K!

Eleven years ago to this day, my wife was lying on a Venezuelan hospital bed screaming. An unsympathetic nurse who knew no English was pinching my wife's lips shut trying to keep her quiet (because she thought my wife knew no Spanish). As I finally got in the room with my scrubs on (which husbands normally don't get to do in Venezuela), I waved off the nurse's pinch and calmly said to my wife "focus on pushing, not screaming". Two pushes later, my newborn daughter was laying on my wife's stomach, and our pediatrician was announcing in broken English "a girl, a white girl."

That white girl has grown into a beautiful, talented pre-teen. While my wife and I can barely believe the little baby she birthed will be a middle-schooler this fall, we couldn't be more proud of who she is turning into. I have watched in amazement this past year at many of the things my daughter has done as a ten-year-old - started a weekly 5th grade prayer group (of which she was the only attendee some weeks), got up an hour early each school morning to do daily devotions (and she is NOT a morning person!), applied herself to her school work, piano and oboe lessons, become a bigger help at home with chores and caring for her younger siblings, and mature in great ways in her character this past year. In fact, for her "birthday party" this year, she chose to combine with a friend whose birthday is the day before hers, and together they've invited their mutual friends to go make sandwiches for the Salvation Army and Meals on Wheels this Friday, followed with cake and ice cream. Her mom and I think that's awesome!

Of course K has had challenges (and challenged her parents :o) this past year, and knows more challenges lie ahead in her middle school years. But LeAnn and I could not be more proud to have K as our daughter. She is an amazing 11-year-old, and we can already she is going to be an amazing woman, no matter what she chooses to do with the life God has given her.

So Happy Birthday, K! We love you!