Let's take a trip

Wanna go with me on a little trip down Memory Lane? Today is my firstborn's birthday and I'm feeling more than a little nostalgic.

July 1, 1966 Lori was born to a mother full of ideals but without a CLUE about what it really meant to be a mother. She was without a doubt, the culmination of every dream I'd ever dreamed of motherhood.

Roy was a very "hands-on" daddy. From day one she was Daddy's Girl.

On her second birthday she shared the yard and most of her toys with Daddy's Beagles. More than 40 years later, Daddy still has a yard full of Beagles - we just don't give them Barbies as chew toys any more!


I bought this doll for Lori so she would have her own "baby" to "mother" when I brought her first sibling home from the hospital. It sounded like a good idea.

Lori would have no part of that doll - she wanted the real thing - her baby brother!

She got a "big girl" bicycle for her 5th birthday and her daddy hid clues about where it was stored sending her on a scavenger hunt to find her present.

Okay, M&M - does this answer your question about why your mother assigned you kitchen duty as soon as you could reach the sink??

Winter of 1972 Papaw would tell Mamaw and Aunt Gennett he was going into town to get supplies for their store. Instead, he'd make his way to Tupelo for some quick snuggling with his grandchildren.

Christmas 1974 Lori wanted to bake a birthday cake for Jesus. A month later she gave Him her heart and made her public profession of faith.

Academia was far more Lori's forte than athletics - but she had lots of fun participating in Junior High sports.

High school years - Yep, she was every bit as "brainy" as those glasses make her look. She tutored local community college students in algebra when she was only in 10th grade! She stayed so busy with math & science competitions and other school activities we hardly saw her. There were never enough hours in the day for Lori to do all the things she was interested in. She's still that way today!

High school graduation 1983.

Front page of the local newspaper the next day.

Alpha Omicron Pi sorority sisters at Ole' Miss. Can you find her? (Look way at the top of the staircase.)

Air Force ROTC at Ole Miss - she gave up this commission for a higher calling -

That of being an Air Force Wife to the love of her life, the irrepressible Dennis Wayne Millsap.

They wed May 17, 1986. Over the years they've lived in Arizona, South Carolina, Alaska, Mississippi, Ohio, Alabama and North Carolina. Life has been a grand adventure for these two and continues being so even today.

May 25, 1989 my firstborn gave birth to HER firstborn, Mallory McGeary Millsap.

October 24, 1992 her second daughter, Margaret Tucker Millsap (Maggie), was born in Alaska. It was a toasty 17 below zero outside!

The tight-knit Millsap family on one of their many vacations. I think this was in Washington D C - around 1998.

Christmas 2009.

Lori with her daughters (her two best friends) at Mallory's wedding January 2010.

Lori (a couple of months ago) - in the career she loves more than any job she's ever had - teaching middle school math & science at Christ Covenant School, Greenville, NC. These six girls were her homeroom class last year and she loves them passionately.

Happy Birthday, my darling daughter. The years have flown by far too swiftly but you have only become more precious to your dad and me with every passing day. We are incredibly proud of you and love you more than we have words to express. May God continue to bless your life out of the abundance of His riches in glory. May you continue to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.