Seventeen Years of Joy

February 5th ,1992 – seems like yesterday. It doesn’t seem like 17 years have pasted, when my Katie Baby made her grand entrance. I was scheduled to have a C-Section at 8 in the morning. As with any surgery, no eating after midnight---my plan was to eat everything insight right up till 12. My friend Kathy was right by side taking every bite with me. Kathy decided we needed to make birth announcements for our special delivery. This was before the pretty picture ones were popular. While she monkeyed around on the computer, I had a sudden urge to go to the bathroom. I didn’t’ make it when I felt the most unpleasant gush. Low and behold my water had broken. (It’s a horrible yucky feeling.) Kathy ran down the hall hollering, burst into Frank and Clara Nell’s bedroom and announced GET UP we have to go the hospital. We scrambled around and finally made our way to the Women’s Center. It was rainy and Frank drove about 45 the whole way. When we finally arrived the nurses giggled that they weren’t expecting me till later and ushered us to the room they had pre-prepared. This is one of the few times I have actually been early. Still today, if I am early it’s because of Katie.

My life with Katie has been filled with lots of joys and adventures. She was a gift from God. If you have spend much time with her you will quickly realize that GOD has blessed Katie with a wide range of talents, she is kindhearted, honest as a preacher, and has a contagious laugh. I know that HE has big plans for Katie. I can’t wait to see what the next seventeen years will have in store for Katie.

There's a water bottle under all that hair.

I love to write acrostics so here’s my tribute to Katie using her name…..

Keepsake Keeper-- She has all sorts of memorabilia stored away in her room. She has cards, rolls of toilet paper, Barbie’s, VHS Disney movies, high school stuff and slivers of paper with notes written on them. Katie loves anything that focuses on family traditions. Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday because most of our family gathers at our house for the celebration. Another favorite event for her is grinding cane at Meme and Papa’s. She loves to her meme tell stories about long ago. She collects teacups and ponders who may have owned the cup prior to her. She has a bulletin board that is overflowing with knick knacks from days of ole.

Great grandpa's restored tractor
Aggressive Athlete—Katie hates to lose. She turns into a beast on the court or the field. Everyone wants Katie on their team. She growls, grunts, and attacks the opponent. Needless to say she will do what ever it takes to win. Last year we had an unexpected visit with the Optometrist. She was playing basketball at PE and got all up in one of the boy’s faces and, he poked her in the eye (by accident). It scratched her retina and nearly blinded her –not really but she sure thought she would never see again. Last week she had mentioned that a girl at school said she was afraid of Katie and her friend, because the look mean. I never thought of my child as a bully. Actually, she has a very determined and intense look—not mean. She is friends with everyone .

Traditionally Talented – Like I was saying earlier Kate loves things of yesteryear. She loves black and white westerns especially John Wayne. Katie and Steven spend hours upon hours watching the western channel. Katie loves music and clothes from the 80s. She knows the words to all the songs. I know if she was a teenager of the 80s we would have been best friends. Like her mom, she has a interest in cooking. She loves to play the piano. As a matter of fact the piano she has was Meme’s from when she was a little girl. Kelley, Angela and me also played on the same one. Her name is also a family heirloom- she was named after my great Aunt Grace. She is sucker for antique shops—so Carrie give her a call next shopping trip. She wants an antique car or her dad’s old work truck. The only reason she likes to ride the bus is so she can see over the fence at the junk yard.

Intelligent Individual --- Katie is a brilliant; I have yet to figure out where the brains and her studious behavior derived from. She pulls a 4.O every nine weeks and has been asked by the Biology teacher to attend a seminar at the other university this summer. But due to her travels this spring we had to decline. As a child, she struggled with reading but now loves to read books about the past especially about the Civil War. (Thanks Ms. Crisatello) Most importantly, Kate is very knowledgeable of the Bible –and applies what she reads and studies. She spends time daily studying her Bible. Praise the Lord that Katie has been blessed with brains and she is not street smart.

Katie is wearing meme's shirt from the early 80's.
Earnestly Easy going--- never gets rattled. She is as cool as a cucumber. This is really obvious in her gait and her speech. Katie is never in a hurry (but she is seldom late). In the show ring she appears to be a novice but in reality she’s just taking her time. Katie enjoys life in the slow lane, taking time to smell the roses. This may seem as a good thing and but it can be nerve rattling…especially when I need to be at work on time. I recently learned that Katie doesn’t like to get to school early because she hates going to the gym. That’s a whole other story. I will never have to worry about Kate having ulcers—stroke –or heart attack.

Happy Belated Bithday Katie