6-7-8

6-7-08 is today's date and also 4 years after our sweet Delainey Jayne was born. That's right, DJ is 4 years old today. Where do all the days go? When we moved here she was only 2 1/2. How quickly the sand runs through the parenting hour glass.

Yesterday I kept recounting the day as it was 4 years ago. I would recall what we were doing and what stage we were in the labor at that hour. Funny how a mom never forgets the details of child labor. I was induced and ended up with a 23-hour labor. Thankfully, it wasn't hard labor, just starting and stopping with contractions and LOTS of walking down the hospital halls.

I remember toward the very end of the labor I was so excited that I began laughing out loud. Maybe it was because I was tired and delirious or maybe it was because knew I was minutes away from holding our second child, our first girl. Everything I anticipated in her was changed the moment I set eyes on her. I pictured a blond, curly headed little girl. Instead she had dark black hair and one darling dimple. Her dimple was the very first thing I noticed after I said, "she has black hair!" I assumed she would be a shy and quiet little child and I couldn't have been more wrong about that either.

DJ's life has been such a wonderful adventure. In four years she has lived in 3 states and experienced 5 moves. To say she has adjusted well would be an understatement. Somehow, each new turn has been just another place to see and new people to meet in her mind. She never meets a stranger and thinks everyone should know who she is, who her siblings are and the date of her birthday. She thinks everyone should be invited over to play, young and old. She just loves people even if she's only known them for a moment. Recently someone told me they would describe Delainey in one word: Delightful. I would agree.

Happy Birthday DJ! What a joy you have been. In some ways I can't believe you're already 4. In other ways, I can't believe you haven't always been in our lives. You truly are a delight!