As I ran this morning down our extremely dusty road, I couldn’t help but chuckle. 14 years ago, it was wet. And when I say wet, it was almost like build an ark and call it a day wet. Now, it’s praying to the Lord for at least a drop of something. Anyway, 14 years ago last night, Joe came into the house and proclaimed I could have our third baby that night because he was finally finished planting beans.
And, being the rule follower I am, my water promptly broke, and we rushed to the hospital to have Amelia Jane on June 10, 2009, at 2:20 AM.
Amelia’s first few days are crystal clear in my mind, just like the clear sky that came out from behind the clouds the day she was born. I remember our rushed drive through construction to get to the hospital; the intake nurse asked me too many questions as I worked through painful contractions and wanted her to STOP TALKING. My friend Kara came to take pictures of Amelia as she was just starting her photography business. My two older girls bounded into the hospital with amazement since their baby sister was finally here! The relief of knowing that my parents were now living just minutes away to help with these three musketeers. Joe dropped me off after our hospital stay to work a 24-hour shift in the tractor putting on anhydrous. My sweet mother-in-law stocked my fridge and did all my laundry while I was in the hospital. My grandma, newly 95 (sharing a birthday with Amelia) drove her red Buick to my house to see the baby.
It is all still very clear in my mind, and I think it’s because we were so ready for Amelia to be born and round out our family…or so we thought! Ha!
Amelia Jane has always been a special ray of sunshine, despite being born in a rainy crazy weather pattern. The next few weeks included no power thanks to straight-line winds and the worry the crops we had planted wouldn’t hold up. That’s a story for another day and probably was written since this blog has been chugging along for over 14 years!
Back to Amelia today: her life in our family has brought the fun, the cute, the silly. What we love the most about Amelia is that she is unapologetically herself and works hard at being the best version of herself, even if that means going against the grain. In a family of cattle showers, she has chosen summer theater. She doesn’t hide her smart, instead, she captains the scholastic bowl. Her leadership skills in a family of leaders shine brightest when she’s helping her younger siblings. When she puts her mind to something, she sticks with it and thrives.
But that can be hard when you’re just 14. It’s even harder when you’re doing things that not necessarily everyone in your circle understands or appreciates. I’m so proud of Amelia for standing firm in who she is, always even if it means going down a different path.
So today, I’m celebrating my girl states away. While she stands out in our family crowd, her birthday (the actual day) is often shared with track meets, cattle shows, wedding showers. So, for our girl to be in California celebrating with her aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparents and brother, not with the whole family, is completely on-brand. She’s the kid who makes her own birthday cake, so why not spend the day across the country with just part of your family?
In other words, she is living her best life.
Dearest Amelia,
You have been my sunshine since you came into this family. Your light shines bright, and I pray that you never let it burn out even when it gets tough, because it will.
Keep shining. Keep carving out your own space in our family and work hard to make your way in this world in a manner we cannot even imagine. Keep walking your path, even if it means you’re on a different one from us, your friends, whomever. We’re right here, following along, and we couldn’t be prouder.
We love you now and always.
Love,
Mom