A Bundle of Myrrh

For my niece Elle (pronounced Ellie for those of you who wouldn’t know that) on her birthday.

My dear Elisabeth Noel,

Today you are Sixteen! You know it always seems impossible to us oldies that you babies grow up and how quickly that happens.

Sixteen years ago I was a student at the University of Texas working in the basement of the Main Building scanning paperwork for the Graduate Studies Department and waiting. Waiting for the HUGE news that you had been born.

Your dad had given his pager (yes, this was the dark ages) to me so he could let me know as soon as you entered the world.

Your mom and dad had decided not to know if you would be a boy or a girl until the big day. They had chosen two names. You would be called Luke or Elle. We had a code worked out. He would page me with the numbers, 5853 or 3553.  Then I would know you’d arrived and what your name was.

I was on pins and needles all day until that pager buzzed!

It read, 3553! You were here, ELLE was here! And I cried. I was so happy and couldn’t wait to get out of there and meet you.

You were the cutest little thing with a button nose and two M&M eyes. I thought you looked liked Winnie the Pooh.

Those years we spent together, the ones you had me all to yourself (along with your big sis of course) were very dear to me. All those tea parties, the dressing up, the living room dance recitals and the times we just sat around being very serious.

You were so kind to stick by me through my black hair phase.

 

And through that weird striped clothing phase. Thanks.

I always loved seeing that cute little smile on your face.

And oh we were so into taking “selfies” before selfies were selfies weren’t we?!

Then I turned 30, would soon be married and move away. So I made the most of those last days at home knowing it would be different from then on.

I remember the excitement you and Sara had as you hurried around helping on my wedding day and how you two would just linger watching the bride and the wedding party prepare themselves.

I was really gonna miss you girls!

You came to Nebraska that first Winter I lived there. We had a great time in the snow didn’t we? Well, you and Uncle Phil did at least!

I gave you the big tour of our tiny town. All of us marching around together. It was just what I needed, my family there in that new place making it feel like home.

I’ll always remember how hard it was after y’all left. Seeing your little boot prints in the snow around my house and then boo hooing all over again for days!

Then my babies started to come.

And what a sweet little helper you were. Always wanting to hold one of these babies of mine.

You have the heart of a servant. Always willing to help where you can.

Even if it’s picking up all the rocks in the yard.

As glamorous as prepping grain for beer.

Or as grueling as walking Town Lake in June in flip flops!

You poor thing.

You’re always ready and willing to share your talents with kindness and cheer.

You are a precious gift.

You get more beautiful each year. I was blessed to see you every week for 7 years and I so wish I could have seen you every week for the next 9 years. I can hardly believe there’s this lovely young woman where that little 7 year old girl with M&M eyes was not so long ago.

As I said to your big sis, it was you dear girls who gave me a taste of what it would be like to be a Mama. I often smile when my own dear girls do something that reminds me of one of you or I make them a stunning ball gown out of one of my skirts. I had a lot of practice doing that with you two!

And look at you girls now! Guess you don’t need my skirt gowns anymore.

So many memories I have of you but one of my favorites was how eager you were to get “bap-titzed” as you called it. Life rarely turns out just as any of us expect it to but no matter what comes your way through the years you can always know that in your “baptitism” you were made God’s own child, marked as one redeemed and forgiven. You have a loving and good Heavenly Father. May He give you His peace as you head into so many new things in the years to come.

And whatever those new things are, don’t forget this…..

 Today we thank God for 16 years of you.

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

This entry was posted on Monday, January 25th, 2016 at 9:42 am and is filed under Birthdays, Family and Friends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.