I started this blog a few days ago, writing about the change in weather, and the endings and beginnings involved as winter turns to spring. Then I realized, what I really wanted to talk about was my daughter, Michelle. She is graduating from university this May, and though she may continue her education at some point, this is both an ending and a beginning for her. She is 21 years old, and I couldn’t even picture this day when she was a young baby, unhappy with the world. My heart and mind were too filled with solving the problem of her distress. One babyTrekker design and 21 years of life later, I can really see the changes as her life has unfolded.
Michelle has always felt things deeply, and this continued when she got out of the “fussy” stage. When she was a baby, she was letting me know in the best way she could that all was not right in her world. How glad I am that I listened to her cries for help, and didn’t plop her in a crib and shut the door. What a message that would have sent.
I think vibrant is too mild a word for Michelle. She brings enthusiasm to everything she does, whether its sports, or schoolwork. She is open and honest about her feelings, and deals very directly with everybody. I’m so proud of the person that she has become and is becoming.
She plays an interesting and important role in our family. If you need straight talk, an honest opinion about an outfit, or a wider perspective, Michelle’s your girl. Her candor is never hurtful, though. She has a lot of wisdom for a girl her age.
One of my favorite things about Michelle is her independent spirit. She started undressing herself around 8 months old, and by the time she turned two, she was dressing herself completely, and picking out her own outfits. She had strong opinions, and though we clashed from time to time, I got a kick out of the way she expressed herself. My two favorite things she said when she was four are, “Are we real, or just a dream in God’s head?” and “That damn government” on finding out that the parade of lights was cancelled. That last part was definitely shades of her grandfather!
I’m celebrating you, Michelle, in the month of April. I’m so proud of all your achievements, and the wonderful person that you are. As I watch your life unfold, I know there are wonderful things waiting for you. Your dad and I feel blessed to have you for a daughter. Happy Graduation honey!
