Petunia

A little over 15 years ago I discovered I was going to have a girl. After two boys I had really been hoping for a baby girl and, lo and behold, I was about to get my wish.

The first thing I did was to shop, of course! (This actually started a precedent for this particular child that I have grown to regret in recent years. But I digress...) I bought a beautiful green velvet dress and ruffled socks and brought them home and hung them in the closet.

And then I panicked.

I was going to have a GIRL! I didn't know how to be the mother of a girl! Girls are different than boys! I only knew little boy games and they didn't like trucks or dinosaurs and...oh, yeah...I was a girl. It was going to be all right.

And then she was born with hair thicker than mine and an inch long all over. The nurses couldn't get enough of her. I don't think we went out in public for over a year without being stopped by someone. I hadn't just given birth to a girl...I'd given birth to a beautiful girl.

And she still is. But she is so much more than that. You see, that was the really tricky part. How to let her know that yes, she was beautiful but her Father in Heaven wanted the inside to match. I worried over this (as I do about most things.) I worried in particular because as she grew, it became apparent that not only did we not look particularly alike but our personalities are quite different too and I could never quite figure her out.

And then a few years ago something lovely happened, (as it usually does if you just wait patiently enough.) Summer began and I decided to take up walking and Petunia, to encourage me, said she'd go with me. And we began talking. And guess what? Turns out we're not so different after all. And all the things I worried about? Not a problem...Heavenly Father blessed her inside and out. She is intelligent, kind, compassionate and passionate about the things that she believes in, and this one believes, I'm here to tell you. She is rock solid, people.

In truth, I'm unbelievably honored that a loving Father trusted us with a daughter so lovely. I thank Him every day.

And then, I hug her tight.