Finally!

Happy Birthday Maddy! – Officially!

Madison…. I look at her and I don’t see a young girl waiting for a nod of approval before she timidly proceeds to conquer her next undertaking. I see a beautiful young woman who courageously (if not a little timidly) pushes herself to dream big and then works to achieve it. Such a mature, responsible daughter who makes the job of parenthood seem effortless (ok, she does actually make us work for our pay a few times a year).

She was a great sport this year on her birthday as we celebrated it in a van crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains (twice), but I guess that’s the price one must pay for living the jet setting life on the road. Thank you Maddy for being such a good sport! Here’s to being 15 and all that that implies and here’s to a wonderful, darling daughter and sister who has the love and admiration of your entire family! We love you!!

 Here's an admission:  I'm a little overwhelmed and I can't find the box that has the scrapbooks with her baby pictures in it (finishing the unpacking is on my "to do" list), therefore I don't have her cute, cute baby pictures to include on her birthday post - I will have to add them as soon as I get to them, but until then, here is the only one I could find on my hard drive from the early days- it was taken the day we were sealed in the temple WOW. 

 

And here's when we finally went digital!

 

I love this picture!  To me, this is Maddy - Her beautiful smile and her laugh that is contageous!  and you see a bit of shyness poking it's way out too.

15?   REALLY?