Today is my grandaughter, Nicole's, 17th birthday and I'm struck with the differences in our lives. She's already traveled much of the world and lived in quite a few different countries. When I was 17, I'd only been just across the border to the U.S. for a few hours.
Nicole will be heading off to university in the U.S. next year when she's 18 and I'm so happy for her. When I was 18, I was married with one daughter of my own. Life is certainly all about the choices you make and the paths you choose.
I instilled higher hopes in my children than I did in myself but, then again, we live and learn, don't we?
Nicole hated me when she was little and I never understood why. She was a gorgeous little 4 year old when her father had his accident and lost his leg and that's when I went down to Florida where they were living at the time and took care of her and Lisette so that Shelley could stay at the hospital with John. Nicole regularly glared at me and asked when I was going home. Little poophead!
One day she was particularly nasty and I told her not to talk to me again unless she could be polite. She cried and cried and then, miraculously, turned into the sweetheart child she'd always been with everyone else. We've never looked back.
Now, here she is at 17. She looks a lot like Shelley but with a darker complexion that makes her look like a Spanish princess. I hope her life continues to be as wonderful as it has been and that the world ahead of her offers her only the best.
Happy Birthday, Coley!
2 comments:
"Hate" - no. More like she couldn't be bothered with anyone who wasn't part of her immediate family. Yes, she was a poophead. That hasn't changed a whole lot but now she adores her extended family!
We had a wonderful day - massages and facials at a beautiful spa here.
Poophead no more! She's a loving child, thank heavens.
Spa day??? When I was 17 I shared a bathtub with 3 families...not all at the same time, of course. I'm so glad my children and grandchildren are doing better!
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