Adventures in Blue: Happy Birthday LilBlue!

Oh my, can I just say I am having a hard time believing you are 21...it just DOES NOT seem possible! Let me just say I think you are ABSOLUTELY amazing...I mean seriously, you are incredible. You have faced so much in just 21 short years. You have braved many a path, crossed several bridges and literally jumped hurdles to get where you are. When I say, "you is kind, you is smart, you is important" I hope you believe it deep within you.

I have blogged about your birth already, and I have another post to share my thoughts of that day you were born, and then last year when you entered the 2's I made mention of that big milestone. So this year as you enter the age of what many refer to as "adulthood" I will once again share my thoughts...like there was any doubt that was gonna happen! And you may or may not be thrilled about that. Some may think you are a little old to hear this but I think most of these things bear repeating...so here goes! (And I did get the inspiration for these thoughts from another blogger, but I did not bookmark the page, I cut the info into a word document, so I apologize in advance and if you read this too and remember where, send me the www and I will link it - I am now starting using pinterest for saving many things and I have also started to paste the weblink into the things I save in a document not on this totally addicting website!)

EVERYONE is NOT doing it - you have heard this your entire life and it does not change ever...it can and will relate for the rest of your life. But I hope you know now that you are the legal to buy one that you will not succumb to any pressure to do things you know will forever change your life. Trust me, you are not the only one who won't and the sad thing is the ones who are, are most likely thinking and wishing they wouldn't of. And if all else fails see #7
Do not pretend you are dumber than you are...this is pretty self explanatory but it is worth reminding you on. I know that being the "stupid girl" can and often does have it's perks but it's a short street; so don't be dumb it's not cool!
Do modesty it IS classy - Cover yourself up appropriately always. Showing the world what you have is why men your fathers age are looking at girls your age and it's just wrong! You have a ~~great~~ I mean impeccable fashion sense; keep it and keep it covered, all of it!
Marry someone similar to your father...I know that sounds nuts but trust me on this. Your father is an absolute fantabulous husband. He loves me with all his being, he cherishes me and most of all respects me. You want someone like that...seriously! Also pay attention to how your potential mate treats his mother. Lots to be said there.
SEX - yes, I am going there! I know many of your peers believe that casual sex is harmless and the world makes no mistake in advertising this as true, but it's NOT true, it's a big fat lie. It might feel right and all that! But the bottom line is sex was designed for marriage...no one ever regrets waiting til they are married; plenty do regret that they didn't. You get my drift.
Girls are mean - I know you know this, you have experienced it. So please don't be a mean girl, it's not becoming. You are still fresh enough out of high school and in the middle of your college life that this is still a player so just remember this. Remember to be the girl who let the drama roll and not be in the midst of it, starting it especially. Be the girl who treats others with kindness who rises above the meanness of others.
We can and will ALWAYS be your excuse, use us! We are okay with you using us as the reason you cannot or do not want to fillintheblank. It can get you out of many an uncomfortable situation and we DO NOT MIND being thrown under the bus, in fact we would love it. Trust me! We want you to be able to say no in your own right but you can always just toss out the "I can't my parents would kill me" or even "my parent's won't allow me to" or the one that would be spot on "my mom would have a coronary" it's sooo okay! REALLY! If it helps you NOT to end up in a bad situation that's the point and come up with whatever it takes.
We love you! I know we haven't done it all right, in fact we have probably done more wrong, but we did what we thought was the best for you at the time. Looking back we know we were wrong in some situations, sorry! We also hope you will stick with your roots and trust HIM, who never fails. It's fact, He don't mess up, we do...He loves you even more then we do, look to Him. He will help you to be beautiful on the inside and it will carry over to your outside, promise!

So daughter, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know you are going to be an amazing adult, we are so so very proud of you, and we love you much more then you could ever fathom. And if you have read this far you deserve a little pictorial treat. So I leave you with the last 10 years of birthdays beginning with that most spectacular day ever, the day you were born!