Honey Hijacking - Happy Birthday

Today is my birthday so you should all fully expect a Honey Hijacking Post.  And here she goes....

Preface: Brooke is never happy when I write a highjacking post about her. I tell her, kindly, that if I have taken the time to write a post it would be tacky of her not to post it.

Thus, Happy 33rd Birthday Boogie!!!

Thirty-three years ago today I was a mere 26 years old, we had Brent, 19 months and I had gone to the hospital twice already in false labor. Brooke was about 10 days past her due date and finally after about 18 hours of induction my labor began and one, yes I said ONE hour later there she was...TADA, I had a l girl, well I had a 9 lb. 2 oz. little girl!

Boog was such a happy baby. Legend (and it is legend) has it that I dropped her off at Mother’s Day Out on the way home from the hospital. What an exaggeration!  Brooke was 2 weeks old when she entered MDO. I had made sure I was president of our church’s little MDO program just to ensure my precious darlings would have a place to go so I could well, breathe!

So Brooke grew and she grew, mainly because after breastfeeding for about 6 months I put her on formula. I poured that thick creamy formula straight out of that Similac can in to that bottle and down it went. Easy peasy Brooke was sleeping, happy and fat! Then one day several months later I happened to look down and glance at the label...there it was CONCENTRATE oops!

Brooke has always been fearless. We spend most of our summer days at the country club swimming pool. In Midland, many of the young moms were members and we would gather at the pool for hours and hours in the sun. Sunscreen, well no, not really, instead one summer I decided to squirt Sun-In in Boogie’s hair not only turning it white but soon after a lovely shade of green. At two years I looked up one day and found Brooke standing on the HIGH diving board yelling proudly, “Mommy watch me!” Lifeguards and I jumped into place and Boog boldly bounded with a little splat into those deep waters. At 4 years she was standing on her tip toes to make the height requirement to ride the Mine Train Roller Coaster, Brooke was indomitable!

On the other hand, I know it might be hard to believe, but Brooke was a very shy child. Adults at church would speak to my little toddler and she would stick her head under my dress. She sang in the church angel choir and at 3 years would stand in front of the entire congregation not singing but stuffing her dress in her IC ruffled panties. When asked why she answered, she didn’t know what else to do, all those people were too scary.

It wasn’t until Bowie Elementary School in Midland, Tx that Brooke came out of her shell. As hard as I had tried to entice my little girl to be less inhibited little did I know the answer lay in Christie Van Husen. Christie was Brooke’s friend, she was well- mannered, polite like you have never seen polite, her smile lit up the classroom and teachers loved her. Brooke, having a bit of a competitive nature, had an ah ha moment and realized if she turned into a Christie she too might find favor in those who were influential. So overnight Brooke became an outgoing, vivacious, well over achiever, and she did it well. With her Sally Jesse Raphael big red glasses (they were adult size, but she would have nothing to do with the child size version-always a bit of a fashionista) Brooke began winning the hearts of those around her. She would be the lead in a play, she would sing solos in church (I never knew she could sing until I saw her performance), she would write essays and win city contests in the GT program, she was voted queen at Camp Longhorn when she was 12 and wore her crown on top of her backward baseball cap. My sweet girl was becoming a person I could never imagine being. I was so proud of her accomplishments and so thankful for the graciousness of the way she dealt with her failures. It’s an amazing thing when you realize that your children have gifts that are far greater than anything you have within yourself, it’s a wonderful gift.

Fast forward to the present, I tell Brooke often that I’m sorry I was not the mother to her and Brent that she is to Harper and Harris. I am so proud when I see my daughter discipline her children with such firm love and love them so tenderly and teach them the things that they are interested in, instead of the things she finds interest in.

I am thankful that she and Jared have such a sound and fun relationship. Their love and laughter bubbles over into their children, it is a joy to watch.

I could go on and on but I’m afraid if I did Brooke would begin delete my praises, so I will end here by saying I am thankful for my daughter. She has stood by our sides these last difficult 5 years and there is never a day that she is not there for me. God gifted me with two of the most incredible human beings and today I celebrate my baby girl’s life.

I wish you the Happiest of Birthdays Boogie...

With much love, Mom