Birthday Beauty

Twelve years ago I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. We didn't know before she was born that she would be a girl. In fact, I had grown up believing I would only have boys thanks to my belief that God has a sense of humor. Since I grew up with only girls in my family, boys were a mystery to me. I thought God would give me only boys because it would be character building. With my first two children being boys, I knew I was right (about the humor and the only having boys). 

Bronwyn hadn't seen fit to share her gender during my only ultrasound, so after enduring a painful labor (the epidural only numbed one leg and I was laboring under the duress of pitocin), when the doctor announced the baby was a girl I was stunned. A girl? Really truly?

Then I worried. What if we had one of those horrid mother-daughter constant battle relationships? What if she was too prissy? What if she wasn't frilly enough? What if she hated everything I liked? 

I shouldn't have worried. With three brothers to wrestle and argue with, there was never a chance for prissy. She and I share many interests, from nail polish to beekeeping and lots of things in between. Even better, she is as beautiful inside as she is outside. Bronwyn has a very nurturing, tender heart. She watches out for those who need a friend. She reads voraciously (like both her parents!). And she is ready to go with me any time I leave the house, whether I'm going to the store, to pick up someone from an activity in the middle of the night, or shopping at the mall. She is passionate too, inheriting her mother's fire (for good or ill!). She is growing into an amazing young woman.

First day of sixth grade.

With her favorite author Shannon Hale. Bronwyn found out Shannon was doing a book signing for  her newest book, Palace of Stone, on Bronwyn's birthday. Getting her own new copy of Palace of Stone signed by the author ON her birthday was the best birthday present of all.

Enjoying the flowers by the Beehive House in Salt Lake City. Bronwyn loves taking pictures of people, plants, and flowers just like I do.