My Aunt Karen tells it that my grandma would introduce her four daughters this way, “This is my daughter Blanche. This is my daughter Rachel. This is my daughter Maureen. And this, this is my baby”, motioning to my Aunt Karen. The youngest child holds a special place in a mother’s heart. I know. I am also the youngest of 4 daughters, my mother’s Baby. I have my own Baby. Funny thing about the Baby of the family, they never really outgrow the title, “as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be”, so says the popular children’s book. Babies are ageless, timeless. There is something about our Baby that keeps us forever young, bonded by the last bits and shreds of our youth. Today mine turns 21. My Kelliann.
Of course, it seems like yesterday when 10 minutes and 3 pushes delivered her into this world, We had many names picked out for a girl. But the moment I saw her, I saw Kelliann, Maybe that delivery should have been a hint of what was to come. She has always been easy. Kelliann took a pacifier, or 3-4, and was good to go, She slept through the night quickly. We nicknamed her “Happy-Go-Lucky’ for the way she just went with life. In our house that was a plus. She has a dad who works a crazy schedule and a brother who, well, took his role as firstborn, boundary-pushing, very seriously. Always the entertainer, the comic relief, the cuddler, Kelliann gave us sunshine.
She worshipped her older brother by 23 months, played with him and his friends, She hated girl drama and was heartbroken when she was targeted by it. And there were times, just like my mom did for me, that I had to “give a piece of my mind” to a few people for the way they were treating her. Sometimes being good-natured isn’t all that it is cracked up to be. Life has taught her that a few good friends are better than many poor ones.
She tried out for the school talent show every year, singing her heart out, gracious no matter the outcome. She played all kinds of league sports, usually the smallest on the field or court. What she lacked in size she made up for in sheer determination. In basketball I THINK, Kelliann may have inbounded the ball to herself, brought it up the court, passed it to herself back and forth, scrapped on the floor with herself, recovered the ball, and scored, Impossible I know, but if you saw the veracity with which she played, you would swear it so.
This is the way Kelliann has gone about life, never backing down. In the face of rejection or defeat, she may have been down for a while, but she was never out. She has always drawn from her inner strength and faith in God to fight her way back. She reminds me so much of my mum, who fought through difficulty by putting a new spin on life. For Kelliann it was the realization that her love for clean eating and cooking made for a perfect college major. So, already into her second year, she made the switch. While others would have been afraid to change majors, Kelliann not only caught up but she received a mentorship only given to ten nutrition majors. She excelled.
Through it all I’ve been right there, to dry the tears, to pray through the difficult days, to offer often unsolicited advice, to sit up sleepless nights. And it is in those times, and the good, we have forged a friendship, so much like the one that I shared with my mum. We laugh at the same tired jokes and bits that we do. We shop together, go out to lunch or dinner, watch our addiction “Dateline” on every channel it airs. We take daily walks with our Goldendoodles and talk and talk, sharing hopes and dreams. It is all so reminiscent, except for the dogs, of me and my mum.
On the wall of her room, Kel has posted this: “I am a strong woman because a strong woman raised me.” My mom taught me to “pick myself up and brush myself off” and start over. She never quit. My God teaches me to rely on His strength to be strong. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
Whenever Kelliann picked herself up and brushed herself off, she always started all over again with God’s help. My Baby never wallows in self-pity or defeat. This baby who came so easily into the world has always stayed true to who she is. We picked a life verse for her when she was born, “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 12:37-39) She loves. She loves God, her family, and her friends. She loves fiercely,
So beautiful a verse given 21 years ago, and so true to who she is. We have had many nicknames for our children, but the one that we called her the most, we still call her today, “Pretty”, inside and out. Child of God, entertainer, comic relief, athlete, who lettered in high school softball, one who loves fiercely, This, this is my Baby…
IT'S A HARnDen LIFE... 