Twenty Four Years Ago Today

One of my fav pics of her...love the hair.

Today is our oldest daughter Chanda's birthday. She is 24. We can not be with her to celebrate as she is 2000 miles away. I think it will be the first time we have not celebrated together, normally she makes a trip out to see us either on, around or just after. It is hard to not be able to do anything for her as money just is not there, a phone call was all that we could do...just did not seem like enough to celebrate the day of her birth, and the beginning of motherhood for me.

Cake, there has to be cake!

A laugh you can not resist....

Sometimes frustrating at how she does not take life too seriously, and then takes it too much so.

Always the show off if there is a camera....

Can not forget the balloons!!!

 Right from the beginning she put us through the tests of parenthood, between loads of false labor, then 16 hours of back labor, and then to top that off she decided she was going to be very independent...on her first birthday she ran between my legs and down the block with us and her grandparents in chase. Yep, she has been a handful from day one! 

A quiet, peaceful moment...um rare for her LOL

As a child she was a handful, between liking to run around in her birthday suit, to deciding that she truly did not want a baby sister and doing all that she could to get rid of her on a regular basis. The trials continued with raging fits, and spoiled attitudes. I will admit that I did not handle it very well, barely being an adult myself,only being 20 years older that her, it was not always easy to raise a kid that demanded so much from me, and at times it did get ugly. But there was good times, there was laughter as she is also a goof ball. She loves to laugh, and act silly and sometimes the things that come out of her mouth, well if you are not pissed off at her, you can not help but laugh. She knows how to have fun and be fun to be around when you do not feel like throttling her!

That grin always makes me giggle!

Yep, she never did listen to me, now I know why!

Carefree and joyful ...well part of the time.....

She has been living back in Texas for two years now, nearly three, and soon will be in Arizona as she is embarking on a new adventure for the second half of her 20's with a new state, her new boyfriend and a new job. Still too far away for a Mom's heart, but also glad she does not live with us...she will agree, we are oil and water ...but then not because we are so different, but because we are very much the same, takes a lot for me to admit that. That is part of my gift to her. Admitting I did not Mother her very well while she was growing up, failed on so many levels, and have so many regrets.

Her serious side comes out from time to time...

Not too long ago she was still a freckle faced teen!

There was times we thought she going nowhere fast....

This little ruffled up bear reminds me of her!

 

I miss her each and every day, and even if she still makes me roll my eyes, grit my teeth and want to rip my hair out, she also makes me so very proud of how far she has come despite some uphill battles she has had to fight her whole life between me and my areas that I lacked, some physical, learning and emotional issues that she developed that were not her fault and were a struggle to over come and that she still battles on a regular basis. I may not always agree with her choices, but will always be there for her in every way that I can...and if I could have her close by...not living with us, but close by I would give nearly everything. I have often considered moving her way, but it is not an option. So for now we will have to make due with phone calls, SKYPE, and the occasional visit. I just hope she knows, though I do not say it every time we speak, I do love her.

So pretty...always ready with that smile!

All grown up!

What I wish for you on this day!

Hugs and Kisses!!!