Today is Rachael’s birthday. She is 28 today. I am very happy to have this young woman in my life. She is quite a little jewel not just to me but to all who know and love her.
We have a favorite story in our family about Rachael. When she was around 3, she had a stuffed animal, a Dalmatian, that she carried everywhere with her. “Mation” was her prize possession and when Rachael was feeling especially generous, she would present her little stuffed dog to Ray, Sarah, Liz or me as a gift. “You can have Mation,” she’d say and place the little dog with a ceremonial flourish on our lap. She would let us hold the stuffed dog for a little while then take him back without a word. We all understood her gift was only a temporary loan. However, if she got mad at any of us for teasing her or for any other minor transgression, then she would grab her dog and head upstairs. She always stopped on the fourth step of the staircase, turned and yelled back to us in the den, “I not giving you no more presents!” She’d then march upstairs and slam the door to her room.
Rachael has never suffered fools gladly, not as a toddler and not now. She is comfortable voicing her feelings, has plenty of strong opinions, has an adventurous spirit and a kind heart. She is also smart, funny and full of life. She loves dogs, cats, kids, her friends and family, and is a conscientious and hard worker. Oh, and she is gaining quite a reputation as the go-to person for homemade cookies and cakes. In my opinion, that’s a combination that is hard to beat.
Happy 28th, Rachael. You add your own special spark to our family. I love you very much.
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