Happy 14th Birthday to Lindsay Leigh!

It's so hard to believe that it has been 14 years since this dark-haired beauty entered into this family!

 I still can't believe we had a baby with hair -DARK hair- after big sister Shae was born so bald!  Lindsay,  it makes me happy to hear you ask me to tell you about how thrilled I was when I saw that you had hair when you were born, and my FAVORITE thing about you-those DARK eyebrows!

 You were a smiley little girl and we adored you!

 (These pictures are SO special to me, they are the last ones taken before Lindsay's brain injury :)

It's incredible to think about how GOD has a plan for you, Lindsay.  He loves you more than you will ever be able to understand.  I had so many plans for the way I thought your life would go, but GOD is a much better planner than I and HE has it all taken care of.

 His ways are not our ways, but HIS plan is always PERFECT, and FOR OUR GOOD.  I still cling to a verse that we had written and posted in your crib while you were in the hospital,

"The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and HE knoweth them that trust Him."

Nahum 1:7

 Your heart failure (because of a virus attacking your heart) and resulting brain injury was a shock after trying for so long to have another baby, yet I can see how God has used YOUR life, my precious one, to touch the lives of so many.

"Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake;  for when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:10

The first few months after you were sick were  difficult in so many ways,  but God was faithful,

 and slowly, your personality and sweet smile returned,

 Just a few months later  your "partner in crime" was born...she has taught you MANY valuable things  over the years too ;)

 You are such an inspiration to me.  You are brave enough to try things, and bring such fun to our family!

 You are a Chocolate Chip Cookie MONSTER!

 and you a-d-o-r-e your Daddyboy!

 Your laugh can brighten up anyone's day, and you.are.funny.  I love funny girls.

 You are a hard worker...

 and you sometimes make my work harder!

 You say the most adorably, precious things and I LOVE our conversations at bedtime under your covers!

 Our family would not be the same without you, nor would it be as wonderful if you weren't the "way you are".  You are such an example of unconditional love and I truly think of you as my very "special" gift from God.  

I am so grateful that I was given the gift of YOU 14 years ago!

Happy Birthday, Lindsay!! I love you xoxo

"How precious also are your thoughts unto me, O God.  How great is the sum of them."

Psalm 139:17