Another girl turns 21!

Today is Justine's 21st birthday. Wow! That sounds crazy to me. Not because it seems like she was just born yesterday, but maybe last week or last month. Justine has been quite a hand full from the very beginning. She has kept us in stitches since she was very small. One time when she was about 3 she got into some baby powder. What I actually mean is that she sprinkled an entire bottle of baby powder all over herself and proceeded to slide up and down the hallway on the wooden floor. The powder 'smoke' was so thick you couldn't breathe. It set off the smoke alarm. Another time when she was only 2 we went on vacation to Colorado. She could repeat anything you said. I mean anything. And that wasn't always good.

Once Jeff muttered under his breath a 'swear' word when I biker darted behind us. She stuck her head out the window and yelled it over and over at the top of her lungs. Needless to say Jeff is still embarassed about that one. She was constantly runing all around the Royal Gorge, scaring me half to death. I would say to her, "Jussy don't do that you are scaring me." She would repeat in this little elf like voice, "I sker you Mom ma." "I sker you Mom ma."

When she was about 5, I was working on some things for my VBS classroom. It was a wall murual, you know the kind the kids add something to everyday. Anyhow, Justine just kept bothering me and I couldn't seem to get it done because she wanted to 'help'. Anyhow, I finally told her she couldn't help and to let me be. A few minutes later a note appeared out of nowhere. It read "Deer Julie, plese let Justine color wit you. luv god." I still have the note, tucked away with all my other millions of sweet memories of my girls growing up years.

Once Justine drew this giant picture on the kitchen wall with crayons. I was furious. I asked her did she do it, knowing all too well that she had. She said no. I asked over and over again, she said no. Finally I went at it from another angle. I said, "I sure wish I knew who drew this beautiful picture on my kitchen wall." Bam. She was there taking all the credit. I know it was a sneaky thing to do. She got into a lot of trouble. She still hasn't forgiven me for my unethical tactics. Sorry baby. Please forgive me. One summer she went to stay with her grandparents down at the coast, she was gone for about 5 weeks. We all missed her so much. When we went to pick her up we almost didn't recognize her, she was well ... kinda chubby. She said, "Hey Mom, Grandma lets me eat off the adult menu!"

Justine has always been lots of fun. She is also my helper. She is always there to pep me up when I'm feeling down. Helps me clean house and loads the dishwasher when no one else will help.

Thank you Juss for being a wonderful daughter. I can't imagine my life without you.

Happy Birfday! (it's an inside joke)

XOXO Mom