Yesterday was July 2nd. A special day. A wonderful day. What makes July 2nd so wonderful and special is the fact that on this day in 1986, Jennifer Leigh Marek entered the world. (It is also the very middle day of the year in non-leap years. A fact my father pointed out to me back in 1986.)
I know not everyone gets to plan out their family. I know not everyone gets what they want. But I did. I wanted two kids. I wanted them back to back. I wanted a boy and a girl. ...but I wanted my girl first. Most people want the boy first. The older brother. The protector. Not me. I wanted my girl.
Jenni was such an easy pregnancy, that I never even had an ultrasound. The doctor kept telling me (while listening to the baby's heart), "sounds like a boy." I kept wanting my girl. Unlike births these days, up until the moment Jenni made her appearance, we had no idea whether we were getting a boy or a girl, but Jenni came and announced herself, and when they told me I had a girl, I was over the moon.
Unlike births these days, Jenni did not stay in my room. They kept her down in the nursery. One time I heard a baby cooing in the hallway, and I told James, "They're bringing me my baby." James informed me I could not possibly know whose baby I was hearing. I told him, I did know, and that the baby I was hearing was my baby. Just then the door opened, and the nurse walked in with my baby. A mother knows.
Jenni has been such a blessing. And I loved each and every step along the way. I loved each and every stage she grow into and then grew out of. Jenni was not a good sleeper then, Jenni is not a good sleeper now. Jenni did not like crowds then, Jenni does not like crowds now. Jenni was quite independent then, Jenni is quite independent now. Jenni was a voracious reader then, Jenni is a voracious reader now. Her personality, while it has grown and matured, it has remained the same throughout her life.
My little girl is now learning with her little girl, how bittersweet it is to watch your child grow. You hate to watch a stage end, but you are so excited about the new stage she enters. So often I hear that grandchildren are the best part of being a grandparent, but for me, the best part of being a grandparent is watching my little girl with her little girl. Watching the love between the two of them.
I often tell people that my daughter is "too good to be true", and they look at me as if this is something that all parents say about all children, so they don't believe me. But she is. Jenni has one of the best hearts of anyone on this earth. Especially when it comes to animals. When Jenni was little, if we passed a dog who had been run over lying on the side of the road, Jenni would cry. She did not have to know the dog. All she had to know was that a dog had died. That was enough. When Jenni was in high school, I forbid her to watch the news. Jenni couldn't handle the news. She would watch the news and cry. Murders, destruction, mayhem, abuse .... Jenni's heart couldn't handle it. Dustin caught her one time researching abortions on her computer. She was frozen. Staring at her computer screen with tears streaming down her face. Dustin had to shut the computer and walk Jenni away. Jenni also will not let us kill bugs or mice or other pests. We must trap them humanely and move them, but not kill them. The only exception is tarantulas. Jenni detests tarantuals.
I still remember taking Jenni to kindergarten, and how I had to walk her to Miss Barlow's room, because the door was too heavy for her to open by herself. I hate to say, but I did NOT always want to walk Jenni in. Some mornings I looked more like a Walmartian than a soccer mom, and I was not ready for the world to see me. I also had Marshall in his car seat, so this meant parking and taking him out just to walk her in. But she would look at me and tell me she couldn't do it, and I couldn't resist. So .... I walked her in, and I opened that heavy door for her. Somewhere along the way, Jenni learned how to open her own doors.
I remember her complaining about the 'big' kids on the playground. You know. Those first graders. They were so intimidating to her.
I remember her first year of tee-ball. They didn't play in the baseball pants back then. They were given the shirt and hat, but they played in their own pants. Jenni played in white jean shorts ....with lace. Jenni was always a mix between pampered girl and tough kid.
I remember the last day I drove her to West End. I remember how she was scared to death she was going to be the smallest kid in Junior High and how happy she was when she found someone smaller.
I remember volleyball games and track meets and gymnastic meets.
I remember her learning to drive and her telling me to just shut up and let her dad handle it, because he was so much better than I was. He didn't freak out.
I remember her going away to college. I remember walking away from that dorm and crying as I left my baby behind.
I remember her telling me she loved Dustin. And then they got engaged. And we planned a wedding. Oh the first time I saw her in a wedding dress. Oh how my heart melted. And then they got married. And when the two of them drove away, I lost it. I cried and cried.
I remember her graduation, and how proud she was of herself. And how proud we were of her.
And then one day she told me she was pregnant. And we were all so thrilled. And it was not an easy pregnancy. And we were all so worried. And we prayed. And we prayed. And Eden entered the world. And my little girl became a mother.
I could not imagine my world without my little girl. At times she has been my little girl. At times she has been my confidant. At times she has been my best friend. At times she has been my mentor. At times she has had to set me straight. These 27 years have been fun. I have absolutely enjoyed each and every minute of being this little girl's momma. She has been a blessing in so so many ways.
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