There was a time I had a convertible.  Actually, I’ve had a couple, but there was a time when I had one since being a mommy, which is very different.

Because Jacey makes everything better. EVERYTHING.

I came across an old Xanga entry I put in Jacey’s journal from 2005 where I had given up my beloved Montero to settle a good deal for us to have two cars.  I ended up with a convertible.  I was in tears over letting the Montero go, but the deal fell through due to the previous owner of the convertible, so I only ended up with it for about a week or so.  God thing for me. 🙂

Of course, I had no idea at the time, so when I drove the convertible off the lot, I was in tears.

Jacey, sitting next to me, wasn’t sure what I was so upset about.

Via Xanga:

“Mommy, why did you get this car?”  

“Because daddy needed another car… 

(pushing back tears…)

Here, let me show you what it does…”

Okay – IMAGINE – NEVER EVER even knowing what in the world “convertible” means… as the top “magically “ came down and she saw the starry sky, she YELLED so loud I thought she was going to pee in her pants!! 

“MOMMY HOW DID YOU DO THAT!!??  I WANTED YOU TO DO THAT!!!!!! MOMMY I LOVE THIS CAR!!!!!!”

And though it was a little chilly that night, Jacey and I rode off into the night singing from the top of our lungs “Since You Been Gone” ( her current favorite song), with her blonde hair just blowing in the wind…  I will never forget that night – so simple, but not.  Man, these are the moments…

Thank you Lord, for taking away what I was holding too tightly to.  Your plan, again, is best.

…

Just recalling that moment causes a million other moments just like it to flood my heart.

Her first time to taste a lemon.

Her first ant bite.

Her first little blonde curl.

Her first sleepover.

The first time she touched a leaf… it was in the fall.  Yes, I did seal that leaf up in a baggy to be kept forever.

Because her little hand touched it.  The very hand, with little perfect fingers, that God created, reached out in awe to experience nature, another of God’s beautiful creations, even if it was just a brown, dying fall leaf.  It amazed me.  God amazes me.  She amazes me.

Oh… and the very first time she saw the beach… mmmmmmmm…

She really takes it in, this whole life thing.  She gets it.  Better than anyone I’ve ever seen.  She’s a dreamcatcher, this one.  All I ever wanted in life was a little girl, little did I know what God had in store.  He really blew the top off my wildest dreams when he brought me Jacey.

And in just the last decade of her life, she has had a world of new experiences to add to her life collection.

The child has already been to the top of the Empire State Building,

seen Mary Poppins on Broadway in New York,

ran up the Rocky steps in Philly,

driven a boat across Virginia Beach,

walked around in the U. S. Capitol building and sat in front of the White House.

She has been a foster sister,

and became a big sister to a brother,

sang barefoot with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir,

taken a ferry out to the Statue of Liberty,

zip.lined. (before me!),

been an official Camp Fusion camper,

danced on the Big Piano at FAO Schwarz,

tried on stilettos on 5^th Avenue,

rode a carriage through Central Park,

helped with two baptisms,
learned how to fold fancy napkins on a Cruise ship,

built a sand castle in Cozumel,

and been to a Dallas Cowboys game.

And that’s just THIS year.

This.  ONE.  Year.

AM I SERIOUSLY THIS KID’S MOM!!!????

She doesn’t have a bucket list… JACEY IS A WALKING BUCKET LIST.   I just want to follow her around and do whatever she does.  I mean what was life before her, anyway??
SHE is LIFE.
To me, she… is life.

Life flying.  No joke…  it REALLY does happen so dang fast.
In just a blink of an eye…
In just the time it takes to take a breath,

and count from zero…

One…

Two…

Three…

Four…

Five…

Six…

Seven…

Eight…

Nine…

to Ten.

And now, one to grown on…

She’s just gets more amazing every year.

Here’s to a new decade of Jaceywacey shenanigans, and all new Ninja adventures…

So glad I get to be along for this ride.

BEST. GIG. EVER.