22 years later.....

  Twenty-two years ago I brought home this wonderful bundle:
this is seriously a face only a mother could love :)

And we named her Amanda Mary 


She came into this world as trouble....posterior birth, face up...she already looking around not wanting to miss out on anything!  I should have been warned then what was to come :)

I loved nursing my babies.  My plan was to nourish them by only nursing for a year, then start food and supplement with nursing until age 2.  Mandie-moo had a different idea.  At 10 months she punished me for missing a morning feeding (I was helping my sis-in-law with her newborn).  Upon arriving home fully ready to nurse (literally), she would have NONE of it!  So she weaned herself at 10 months, much to my disappointment.

She also started to walk at 10 months.  What a sight that was....she was just a tiny thing walking/running around.  Many couldn't believe that this tiny little girl was walking.  Talk about little miss independent. Nothing has changed there, just ask her husband!




Growing up, she'd be the first one to say, "let me do it".    







She was constantly on the move, trying new things and just loving life!







There was a time when I didn't like this one....it all began when she was 9.  I was preggo with #5.  She insisted she was going to have another sister.  I calmly reminded her that this baby could be a boy (no reliable ultra sounds 13 years ago)....nope, she was right.  Her baby sister was born on February 8, 1998.  She became the 2nd mama to her.  Actually, she became mama #1 to her.  Whenever sister would cry, she'd be right there.  As sister grew, sister knew who would spoil her so whenever she fell, cry for Mandie-moo.  Whenever she wanted something, cry for Mandie-moo.  I was truly jealous of my daughter. She wanted Mandie-moo all of the time even over her MOM!  I hated it! But sister saw something in Mandie-moo that mom couldn't see through 'green' eyes...what would become Mandie-moo's future...working with kids.  They say children and dogs are a great judge of character, well, Mandie-moo is loved by both.  Today she works at a day-care and is valued by all the parents and loved by all the kids!

Not only is she the cutest little thing on the outside:

 she has a heart of gold!  Anyone who knows her would agree.

I can honestly say I am not one bit disappointed in the young women she has become.  I look forward to how God is going to use her as she continues to live, love and touch lives.



Sorry, but I have to admit.....I miss this little cutie!

Thank you, God, for this blessing I am unworthy of.  Continue to make her into a woman you use to show your love to others.
I LOVE YOU MANDIE-MOO!

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