Happy 17th Birthday Rachel Ann

Happy Birthday, precious Rachel Ann!

You are a gift from the Lord in every way...and I'll never be able to thank Him enough for blessing our lives with you!

Your birthday weekend has been an absolute blast. You invited two of your closest friends, next to your sister, to see Alice in Wonderland. You had been counting the days for the movie release. We all had so much fun!

Ya'll are stylin' in your 3-D glasses:

And then dinner at Cheddars...yum!

And home to celebrate with Gigi's Cupcakes:

A yummy Sunday morning breakfast at home and then a delicious lunch at Nonnie and Poppie's house.

In perfect timing, your birthday bulbs bloomed:

I think I love this pink one the best! There is so much symbolism in this picture, isn't there?

This beautiful flower bloomed where it was planted...and it is a glorious flower. This past year would never have been what we would have imagined for your precious life...but it was by far better than we could have imagined because it was the path God chose for you...and He was there every step of the way!

Through all of your suffering and pain, you somehow managed to share the fragrance of Christ with all of those who came in contact with you....and He shined and continues to shine so beautifully through you. Your faith in the Lord has never waivered. You are an encouragement to everyone that knows your story. We thank God for what He has done and what He is continuing to do.

You, my precious daughter, have blossomed into the most beautiful young lady and your daddy and I are so proud of you! While on this day, your 17th birthday, my heart begins to race and I start dreading the days ahead...your senior year..going off to college....my mind reminds me that I have felt the same way every year of your life. You see, I knew then, even when you were only a month old, that we would be here in the blink of an eye and I have LOVED every minute, every moment, every single journey of faith with you! And I can't wait to see what God will do next...but at the same time I long for time to stand still.

You are the heart of my heart, the reason I am called Momma, and the apple of your Father's eye. What an absolute treasure you are. "May the Lord continue to bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you" (Numbers 6:24-25).

With Much Love,

Momma

xoxoxo