Happy Birthday to my first born!

11 days old Elementary School Senior Picture

Beautiful at birth and everyday since. I am so proud of you! Despite many challenges, you just keep smiling. You are a wonderful mother, Nick is such a great kid - only a year of school to go - you have done a great job raising him! Cassie and Daphne are beautiful and way too smart! I remember when you were in school, you were so meticulous, always studying and always getting good grades - I would almost bet you still have all your notebooks from school and in order! (unless Johnny made you throw them away) Tania you are beautiful inside and out and I am proud of you and proud to be your mother!! I remember the night you were born, my labor started about 5:00 in the morning, I stayed home until 5:00 that night, and I was dialated to 6 when I got to the hospital, the nurses could not believe I walked in. At 1 minute after midnight you were born - screaming at the top of your lungs! I loved the name Tania, and of course your middle name, Theresa, is my moms first name and my middle name. I love that you named Cassie with Theresa as her middle name too. Grandma would have loved that! You look alot like my mom, in fact when some people look at Grandma's wedding picture, they ask if it is you!!! You nursed well, but within a few weeks you developed colic - I remember walking the floors with you night after night, I just felt terrible, there was nothing I could do to make you feel better. As you know that is hard for a mom, but you finally grew out of it - thank the Lord! Learning you were deaf and then trying to learn sign language was another challenge for all of us, but when you finally decided you wanted to learn to sign you just took off!! You were like Helen Keller, walking around and pointing to things for us to teach you the sign for it. You started school full days when you were 3 1/2 years old - Mrs File was your first teacher - she is 92 years old now! Kathy Stansfield was your next teacher, she is retired now and married (Kathy Cook), we go to church together and are in the same Small Group on Sunday mornings. You were always an excellent student - sooo smart! You trusted Christ when you were in grade school and we have seen the evidence of Him in your life, as well as how you have brought your children to church so they will come to know Christ as well. In all the hard times in your life I have seen you turn to God, and He has always been faithful. Well the years have flown by - you will be 35 tomorrow, February 20th - but you will always be my baby! I am so proud of the woman you have become!

Happy Birthday - I love you!