• Double digits

    ByKristin motherhood, Rachel
    Photo by Jamie Allred

    Rachel wants to be a teenager so badly. I’m guessing it has to do with her teenage brother and sister – and the fact that their friends are typically very kind to the little sister. Regardless, here we are with evidence that birth order and age gaps in a family shape a person. 

    Today she turns 10. Two hands full. Double digits. Or, like her dad said, a TEN-AGER. Get it? Like a teenager, but with one less E. 

    Regardless of what you want to call it, this girl is easy to celebrate. She’s always looking for, and often creating, a good time. Yes, this makes chores difficult. She’d much rather dance to whatever pop song is playing on her Alexa than clean her room. She’d rather roller skate or hoverboard around the house than clean up her shoes and socks and trash. 

    Rachel is in fourth grade, which, I think, she’d tell you is better than she expected. That’s a win from a girl who doesn’t love school. At least that’s what she says. I know for certain she likes socializing, learning random historical facts, and asking me science questions because she knows I may not know the answers. 

    Teenager, I tell you. I mean, tenager. 

    When she’s not leaving marks on our fake hardwood floors with her roller skates, Rachel likes swimming, playing with her dog Bailey, watching KPop Demon Hunters, and pretending her life is a fashion show. She has no concept of time, but asks me multiple times a day what’s happening tomorrow. She told me recently that fall is her favorite season, but I distinctly remember last winter when she told me she wished summer stayed all the time. She likes axolotls, has approximately 1,629 stuffed animals that all somehow get played with, and wants to believe all four cats are hers. 

    We’re celebrating tonight with a Dive In Movie in (or maybe around) the pool. We have several dragon pool floats and cookies ready for when we watch the newest How to Train Your Dragon. She convinced me to buy dragon wings for the dogs and is disappointed she doesn’t have a dragon-like swimsuit for herself. She’ll be the life of the party because that’s what tends to happen even when it’s not her birthday. But today she’s a tenager, so let’s celebrate! 

    *****

    Photo by Jamie Allred

    Rachel,

    From the day you came into our lives after so many prayers, I haven’t been the same. God taught me about joy when you were a baby, and He continues to today through you. You make life brighter and more fun. I’m excited to see how God continues to use you for His glory and the good of everyone who knows and loves you. Happy birthday, sweet girl!

    Love, Momma

    *****

    Look back on Rachel’s past birthdays:  One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Learn more about her adoption story in “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family.” God authors the stories on our porches and wherever we go. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to receive #PorchStories emails about every other week.

  • Hello, ninth birthday!

    ByKristin Rachel

    Hello, 9. My girl is so very excited to be here. Momma has mixed feelings – only really because it goes so fast, and I know that. 

    Rachel Elizabeth is the girliest person in our house because, apparently, she was just born with a love of sparkles and sass. She also loves to run barefoot, leaving her socks in the yard like a mini tornado and turning cartwheels instead of walking. She wants to be big, but she also still loves to cuddle me – often even when I’d prefer her be sleeping in her own bed that is down the hallway. 

    Ask her to help, and she will, but only after declaring it’s boring and asking why today, any day, really, has to be boring. She wants a party wherever she goes. Yes, we’re working on work-before-play and not-all-of-life-is-fun mentalities. She draws people in and makes them feel loved. 

    Except maybe her brother. They like to argue and compete and pester and annoy. There is squealing and tattling. And I really pray we move out of that season soon. But, until, we do, I will continue my speeches that we’re a team and God put the five of us together on purpose for a purpose – so get along. Maybe they’ll catch on. 

    And, really, I get it. She’s my third. I’m probably a better mom to her than I was my first. Or second. I’ve learned and grown and settled into who God has created me to be. But it wasn’t always pretty understanding how God was trying to parent me. Sure, I still doubt myself, but I’m a lot more settled in myself. I’m also tired. 

    But I wouldn’t change being Rachel’s mom for anything. She helps me see the joy in life because she is joy. She leads with her strong personality because she is strong. She loves what and who she loves. She asks questions with infectious boldness and curiosity – albeit the timing is sometimes terrible. 

    Rachel has asked me for days what I got her for her birthday. I won’t tell her. By the time anyone is reading this, she’ll have a homemade voucher in her hand for a date with Mom and Dad on Sunday. That’s right. No brother. No sister. Just us and plans Rachel will love: lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, $40 to shop at the mall, an hour at Vertical Jump, and ice cream for dessert. It’s like a Yes Day with boundaries. But first there’s a dinner at Cracker Barrel and a party with friends at the ninja course. 

    Perhaps one day this firecracker of mine will see the boundaries are because we love her – not so much because we’re boring. So here’s to all the fun and love in the world, my dear Rachel. Happy birthday!

    *****

    Look back on Rachel’s past birthdays:  One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Learn more about her adoption story in “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family.”

  • Eight is great!

    ByKristin Rachel

    Happy birthday, Rachel! 

    You’re a light wherever you go! And you like to go! You’re always making friends, asking about our next adventure, wanting to know what’s next, and talking if you’re not singing. You’re the joy our family needed in 2015 and you continue to be the one who makes us laugh and love better than we did before we knew you. 

    You may be six and eight years younger than your brother and sister, but you sure think you can do anything they do! Of course, that’s the source of frustration sometimes – when you go to bed earlier than them, when we tell you no but them yes, and when you think their friends are your friends. 

    You are girly! You love accessories, sparkles, and pink. You want to wear make-up, high heels, and twirly dresses. Yet you also love to be outside making messes and getting dirty. You’re creative and adventurous – and you’d like to do it all while looking good. 

    As a second-grader, you were excited to try cross country at school. You go from hating to loving it at any given moment. You’ve gotten so much better after the practices and races. Now you can run the one-mile race in less than 10 minutes. You’re also playing soccer. Plus you’re interested in cheerleading, learning to play drums, and possibly playing basketball. I like that you’re willing to try new things. We’ll have to see what’s next! 

    You wanted us all to act out The Little Mermaid at your birthday party on Friday night, but you did get your dad to dress up like King Triton. Y’all are quite the pair! So funny! We had (most of) the girls from your class over for the “dive in,” which means y’all swam and watched The Little Mermaid. You’re always ready for a party – so celebrating you is easy, my girl. 

    You ask a million questions, know the words to thousands of songs, have so many ideas, and still try to sneak into my bed at night. You say I’m the best snuggler in this family. I’ll take it – and your hugs and love, although the middle of the night will never be my favorite time. 

    Happy birthday to the girl who loves loudly! I know God has big plans for you. I’m thankful I get a front-row seat to your life. 

    Love, Mom

    *****

    Look back on Rachel’s past birthdays:  One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Learn more about her adoption story in “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family.”