30 Days of Gratitude - Day 21 - Megan Marie

It is hard to believe that it has been 16 years since that a little girl named Megan Marie came in to my life.

I feel once again caught between the bitter and the sweet. There is so much I could say about that little girl who became a part of my life, so much sweet. As well as bitter, bitter because as much as I love and adore my husband and the biological children he has given me, I hate that Megan and Brandon had the heartache of divorce. But now. Now Megan is no longer that child pursuing and seeking after her mother, but a grown woman herself gracing the age of 24 and pursuing her own life.

Darryl and I checked them out of school to their surprise and took a quick
road trip to Eureka Springs to celebrate the end of school and beginning of summer.

Sweet 16

Because her birthday is in November, right smack in the middle of the chaos that is part of the holiday season of giving thanks and gratitude. I want to give her an attitude of gratitude blog, kind of like a birthday shout out of a thankful and humorous sort as I reflect back over these 16 years.

She is obviously loved much by her siblings.

I am thankful for her the delight she brings through her explosive laughter. Her laugh alone is so infectious it could be used to cheer up anyone on a day of gloom.

Never too young to enjoy a ride at the park.

I am thankful that she still gets excited over her birthday by posting countdowns on FB.

6th grade friends

I am thankful that her feet finally quit stinking and this is an especially true gratitude since she is living under our roof again.

Thankful that she is home again, even if it is for a short time. Isn’t all life short though? Praying the goodness of God will capture her heart.

The famous Beatle Bowl hair cut!

Thankful that her great uncle tagged her with the nickname "Domski" after Dom DeLuise, because nicknames stick in this family. See what the cuteness of baby fat gets you in my husband’s family?

Doesn't she look like a little chipmunk?

I am thankful she is seeing something now at her age as she is working through all those past things and people that seem right at the moment. That Proverbs 16:25 is true (I learned) – “that there is a way that seems right, but its end is the way of death”. On a Facebook post this morning I saw, “in young we learn…in age we understand”. Thankful for some wise Christian counseling I once was told that when we make mistakes in life we can either call them a mistake or an education. A mistake means you didn’t learn anything and you will repeat it, but if you learn something from it and don’t repeat it means that it is an education.

A young adult now, even though she is throwing Cheetos at people.

I am thankful for Megan, I am thankful the Lord has granted us this precious stewardship of being a part of her life at this point in her life, and I pray for her, as I pray for all my children, that she would know the depth, the width, of His forgiveness and love – that she would flee from all evil that is ever present in this world and run into the arms of Jesus who will never leave nor forsake her. The One who will always protect her and never fail her as she pursues His will for her through His perfect, timely Word; and finally, that she would love the Lord with all her heart, all her mind, all her soul. Happy 24th Birthday Megan Marie, I love you!