A Teenager No More

As Laura celebrates her 20th Birthday today, I had a (brief) twinge of sadness musing that the teenage years, that triumphant (?) rite of passage speckled with intense highs and lowly depths and a whole lot of just plain living, growing, maturing, and the acquiring of savvy, have drawn to a close. Chris passed over to the other side (of being a teen) several years ago but the event never hit home until my last child was in the same position. I am now the parent of "twenty-somethings". That must make me old. Face it.

Thursday April 21, 1988, a date burned into my soul, is the day Laura Ann arrived on the scene, ready to fill our hearts with the joy of her energetic spirit. I knew this gal meant business early on. Striving to be out in the real world long before she was ready to draw breath, she pursues life with an energetic fervor that leaves most of us in the dust. She never ceases to amaze me with her fortitude and tenacity for personal goals, her quirky sense of wit, and her passion for living each day to the fullest.

Laura, I remember when you were but a wee one strapped into an infant seat. I thought at that tender age, I could leave you on the floor in that silly seat while I turned my back to tend to something else. So eager to be free of physical barriers, you quickly figured out that core muscles were your key to freedom, of sorts. It wasn't long before you were able to twist those lats and and flip yourself and that pesky seat 180 degrees. Once you found yourself on the floor, face down with a plastic infant seat strapped to your back (the turtle image is burned in my memory) you weren't quite ready to crawl but you were able to let me know of your displeasure with being "held back" by that dumb seat. It was your time; to be held, to be fed, to play but never time to just sit and watch the world go by. Some things never change my love.

Hoping you have a wonderful 20th Birthday!