7 Years

Kylee has been in eager anticipation of her birthday this year.  The other day, she proclaimed "Mom, can you believe you've had me for SEVEN YEARS?"  Her comment made me pause and reflect on the time that we've had with Kylee in our lives...and made me feel so very, very blessed.

If you've been following this blog or have been around our family for any length of time, you know that Kylee, or "Miss J" as she is affectionately known around our house, is our child that keeps us laughing....and forever evaluating our parenting skills.

Kylee came into the world late on the evening of September 9, 2006.  The midwife announced that she entered the world "sunny side up", meaning that instead of emerging face down (as is the normal birthing position), she came out face up.  Brandon and I have often reflected on how perhaps that was an early indication of the personality our daughter possesses.

Kylee is our passionate child.  She approaches life with a gusto all her own.  She is dramatic, sensitive, driven, intelligent, creative, loving, and imaginative.  She gets easily frustrated when she feels like she can't get something right and absolutely hates to disappoint anyone.  Kylee challenges us to think about things differently and when she believes in something, there's no stopping her.  She is firm and committed.

Kylee keeps us laughing.  She is so uniquely her that you can't help but crack up.  Be it her jokes ("Why does a dog like living in the Wild, Wild West?  Because it's RUFF!"), her latest dance routine, an art project, or just her viewpoint on life (Kylee is participating in Running Club at school and came home reporting that last week at club, she told Mrs. Wise, her teacher, that she looked like a unicorn when she ran.  I gulped and got up the nerve to ask "Well, why did you say that?".  "Mom, I said that because she looked so beautiful!"), you never quite know what to expect with our middle child.

Kylee is known around our house (and probably, let's face it, outside our house), for her hair.  It is strawberry blonde in color and very distinctive.  Adding to the distinction is the fact that she has inherited her mother's bedhead, so Kylee descending down the steps in the morning is always a bit of an affair as we observe the creation that is her morning hairstyle.  Kylee then insists on correcting her bedhead by "styling" her own hair.  This can range from having every barrette we own in her hair, to a ponytail, or, to that classic look where the front of her hair is wet down, brushed, and then the back of her head looks like something a small rodent could live in unnoticed.  She has conceded this year and allowed me to attack her with a blowdryer and flatiron on school days, which makes me feel like a better Mom because on days this styling intervention doesn't happen, I worry that someone might wonder if an adult lays eyes on our daughter in the mornings.  On weekends, her style comes out in full flair.  It's a wonder to behold.

Being Kylee's mom has made me a better person.  We do not take the responsibility of raising our daughter to be a Godly woman lightly.  Kylee gave her heart to Jesus about a year ago, and reaffirmed her decision this year in VBS.  She is passionate about her Faith, and inspires me as I look for ways to encourage her confidence in Christ.  I hope and pray that our relationship is one of openness, unconditional love, honesty, and respect for years to come. It is my honor to watch her blossom into the woman that God has created her to be.

Kylee Jordan, I really can't believe that you have been ours for 7 years.  I am so thankful that God entrusted you to us.