Sweet 16!!!

JARICA TURNS SWEET 16!!!

    Well, 16yrs ago today at 10:12am, my baby girl was born. They handed her to me and I thought she was the most precious, beautiful girl ever born.  She had the blackest hair--of which they had already placed a pretty purple bow.  She looked JUST like her Daddy.  **Which was a good thing.  She was a wonderful baby.  I didn't hear her cry until she was 2wks. old and that was at her check-up, when they were doing hip-click on her.  Cheryl went with me and told the doctor that we thought something might be wrong with her because she didn't cry.  He did the hip-click & she cried.  He said, "There's nothing wrong with her, she's just a good baby".  As she got older, she was always so sweet & good.  She had a kind of magnetic attraction to people.  They fell in love with her, almost instantly (not kidding).  When she was months old, Karen used to come over & just hold her, she said that it was theraputic to her.  Her brother loved her more than anything. He was so good at taking care of her. 

**Man, I wish they could always get along like they did when they were little.  I will say, it's better today, than it was last year.**

I've seen a lot of changes in her, in the past year. Sometimes, things happen in our lives that turn us "hard" toward certain things.  This is her. Lately, she's built up a wall, that she won't let many people come over or through.  I'm praying that she opens that wall back up again.  I want that free-spirit, happy-go-lucky, girl back.  The one that always got along with everyone and was just HAPPY all the time.  She is happy now, but she's still got that wall built up. ((yes, this is sort of off track, but felt like saying it. Hey, isn't that what a blog is about?))

The most important thing I've seen in her--she's living for the Lord. I love seeing her sing, playing the tambourine, and praying at the altar.  I LOVE seeing her go to the altar so fast to pray for/with others.  It does this Momma's heart good--makes me proud. I pray that she always seeks HIM and lets HIM guide her path.  

I will say that last summer, was probably the best summer of my life.  She and I had the best times.  We had no schedules really.  If we wanted to run to Wal-mart at 1am, just to get a watermelon--that's exactly what we did. She became my best friend.  We don't do those types of things now, but hopefully, we'll get to do it some more in the summer. 

(She has a new best friend, but that's ok, He loves her & is good for her & more importantly, he's good to her) 

  I just want to wish her the best birthday ever.  I'm not having her party until the 23rd, but I'm gonna try to do something for her today. 

 ******That's what's so weird. I ALWAYS have her a big birthday party. I ALWAYS have it planned months ahead.  This year, for the

 BIG ONE  

I don't really have anything planned, except the date & place.  I'm sure God will put it into place :)  

 ANYWAY. 

Happy Birthday to the best daughter in the world 

Jarica LaShaye' Estridge

aka TATER 

I LOVE YOU---Forever---Unconditionally