Eleven years ago today my daughter, Shariah Dawn, was born after a traumatic labor, to a naive young mother, who didn't know what she didn't know...
Thankfully, truly by God's grace and nothing else, we both survived. Shariah inherited my grandmother's beautiful strawberry blond locks along with my blue eyes and stubborn will. The nurse looked her over and pointed out how with her lovely long fingers she would be able to do anything in life. So true.
I've been reading this book called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. In it, when he talks about living with people, he says that when he was alone he really believed his life was a movie and he was the star, after all, he was in every single scene. (I'll tell you more about the book later...)
But I think that's why I consider the experience of bringing my firstborn daughter into this world the beginning of my story. At least it's the part where my story gets good. (If you're wondering I had my daughter before meeting my husband).
Not to say anything about teenage girls in general, but me? I was pretty shallow and self-centered! I was all about living for the moment and the day, having fun, regardless of consequences. I knew barely anything of love, friendship, sacrifice, loyalty or self-control.
My story begins with my daughter because I realized very quickly that my life is about those around me. They are the characters of the deeper story.
* * *
Today for Shariah's birthday I decided to style her hair. I cut her bangs shorter and gave her the flower clip, which I won from Amber at Coupon Connections NW, put on some sheer lip gloss (cuz she's 11). Everyone at school loved the clip, but a couple of boys made fun of her bangs and told her she looked weird...
I'm sorry girl, welcome to full blown adolescence...I'd consider skipping those years personally!
The funny/not so funny thing is, when I turned 11 I wore my pink flowery pants, baby pink shirt, with a matching flowery collar. I swept my hair mostly over to one side and completed the look with a baby pink barrette and shimmery pink lip gloss.
And a girl told me I looked weird!
Now I feel bad. I should have remembered that experience, which I'm sure I carried on my sensitive shoulders throughout middle school.
Hopefully my daughter will surpass me greatly in strength, beauty, wisdom and grace. Happy Birthday Shariah!
Sigh...
Thankfully, truly by God's grace and nothing else, we both survived. Shariah inherited my grandmother's beautiful strawberry blond locks along with my blue eyes and stubborn will. The nurse looked her over and pointed out how with her lovely long fingers she would be able to do anything in life. So true.
I've been reading this book called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. In it, when he talks about living with people, he says that when he was alone he really believed his life was a movie and he was the star, after all, he was in every single scene. (I'll tell you more about the book later...)
But I think that's why I consider the experience of bringing my firstborn daughter into this world the beginning of my story. At least it's the part where my story gets good. (If you're wondering I had my daughter before meeting my husband).
Not to say anything about teenage girls in general, but me? I was pretty shallow and self-centered! I was all about living for the moment and the day, having fun, regardless of consequences. I knew barely anything of love, friendship, sacrifice, loyalty or self-control.
My story begins with my daughter because I realized very quickly that my life is about those around me. They are the characters of the deeper story.
* * *
Today for Shariah's birthday I decided to style her hair. I cut her bangs shorter and gave her the flower clip, which I won from Amber at Coupon Connections NW, put on some sheer lip gloss (cuz she's 11). Everyone at school loved the clip, but a couple of boys made fun of her bangs and told her she looked weird...
I'm sorry girl, welcome to full blown adolescence...I'd consider skipping those years personally!
The funny/not so funny thing is, when I turned 11 I wore my pink flowery pants, baby pink shirt, with a matching flowery collar. I swept my hair mostly over to one side and completed the look with a baby pink barrette and shimmery pink lip gloss.
And a girl told me I looked weird!
Now I feel bad. I should have remembered that experience, which I'm sure I carried on my sensitive shoulders throughout middle school.
Hopefully my daughter will surpass me greatly in strength, beauty, wisdom and grace. Happy Birthday Shariah!
Sigh...
1 comment:
Such a sweet post!! I can NOT believe that she's 11! Where have the years gone? =)
She looks beautiful for her birthday {and every day, too}.
Happy Birthday Shariah!!
Post a Comment