25 on the 25th

Today my first grandchild is 25 years old on the 25th day of the month.

That's a once-in-a-lifetime birthday and deserves some special recognition, don't you think?

Instead of just wondering where the past 25 years of her life have gone, 

I thought it would be fun to look at them in photographs.

So -

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DARLING, MALLORY!!

Today you are a QUARTER of a CENTURY 

OR

9,132 days old

But hey - who's counting?

On May 25, 1989 at 3:23 in the afternoon all 7 pounds 14 ounces of you 

entered our world and we were smitten with a love we did not know existed.

 Your first Christmas you were the center of everyone's attention.

 But, of course, you thought the wrapping paper was more fun than the presents!

1990 brought a lot of "FIRSTS" -

your first birthday (yes, you already loved Winnie the Pooh) 

 your first cousin - you begrudgingly shared Grandaddy with Hillary

 and your first kitty - T.J.  

Oh my, how your little toddler self terrorized that cat -

and he loved every minute of it!

 By the next year your love for baking was already manifesting itself.

You don't still sit on the counter, do you?

 You loved going to the park - swinging and feeding the ducks

 You loved mugging it up with Papa

 and getting into your Mawmaw's make-up

 In the Spring of that year we bid you farewell as you
headed for your dad's next duty station -
 ALASKA -
you loved the big ferry

 and quickly celebrated your 2nd birthday in your new home.

 By 1992 you were a full-fledged Alaska girl

 braving the snow in only your panties and your mommy's shoes! 

 By your third birthday you loved all things "Belle"

and I made you your very own gold evening gown.

You wore it EVERYWHERE -

even to the grocery store!

 Grandaddy and I got to come visit you that summer.

 That Fall you got the best present ever -

a baby sister. 

 You celebrated your 4th birthday with a new bicycle

 and continued your great Alaskan adventure for a few more months.

 By Christmas you were in Mississippi and living less than 50 miles

away - we were ecstatic!

 When Christmas rolled around the next year, you and your cousins
were big buddies. We called you the "Fearsome Foursome."

 July 1995 we braved the Mississippi heat to spend an old-

fashioned 4th of July at the Jacinto Courthouse.

None of you guys were very interested in the political speeches
but you loved the Choctaw dancers!

 You and Maggie loved to play on Grandaddy's boat. 

It might have been more fun on the water instead of in

the garage - but you guys didn't care.
You just loved spinning around in the seats!

 1996 was a real Dalmatian Christmas 

Dali and Dixie kept everybody entertained.

 Granny moved to Mississipppi that year

 joining the GREAT grandparent fun of Mamaw

 and Papaw.

 In the 1996-97 School year you won your first art contest.

 Then later that spring took first place in your school's 

Cultural Arts Contest Photography division

with a picture you took at Shiloh National Park.

 You were the Statue of Liberty in your 3rd grade play

 and then made us all proud when your photo entry

won 2nd place in the STATE competition!

 You finished out your time in Starkville, MS with

the end of the year dance recital

 then spent a little time at Disney World before moving

 to Dayton, OH where you made some life-long friends through

the Odyssey of the Mind competitions.

 August 1998 you were a flower girl in Uncle John's wedding

 and had a little fun touring Cleveland with your cousins.

 For Halloween that year you channeled Harry Potter.

 And kept hanging out with your OM team.

 You launched the new millennium at a costume party with your family.

 The year 2000 saw your art exhibited at the Air Force Museum.

 And your talent in song and dance was exhibited in your school program.

Joshua helped celebrate your 12th birthday in 2001

and soon thereafter -

Guess who got BRACES??

The whole family went in costume to the first showing of

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

You were living in Montgomery, AL at the time.

FOREVER sisters, friends and Harry Potter fans!

Christmas 2001 - Petey joined the family.

2002 - You were in Girl Scouts

and Annie Get Your Gun.

You vacationed at Epcot with the Mizells

and flew in the RV6 with your dad.

Christmas 2002 added the twins to the mix

and a purple cast to your poor wrist!

Christmas 2003 - your last in Alabama.

By 2005 you and your family were settled in Greenville, NC

and embracing a church family at Christ Presbyterian.

2005 Youth Mission team.

June 2005 you flew off to Osh Kosh with your dad

and in August you two tried your hand at deep sea fishing.

The homeschoolers Historical Ball that Fall was a

great experience as you and Maggie researched

and made your costumes.

Halloween that year found you in Uncle John's old

Mad Hatter costume.

It was the MILLSAP's EUROPEAN HOLIDAY

for Christmas 2005.

Here you are in Heidleburg, Germany on Dec. 22

and at the London Bridge the very next day.

BFF's way back in 2006 -

love our Rachel!

Is this really you??

A very Goth Halloween - 2006.

Christmas 2007 

That facial expression is a lot more typical Mallory.

Right?

High School graduation in 2008 

with your favorite fella

and a few more favorites - 

your homeschool dean, professor and fellow student.

One of your college art projects.

Did you really graduate from high school one day

and community college the next?

August 2008 - with your best beau at your dad's retirement party.

Two months later that "best beau" popped the question

and by July 2009 Gran was in Greenville helping

shop for bridesmaid gowns!

The official engagement picture - 

compliments of your photographer sister.

Christmas 2009 - counting the days until the wedding.

January 16, 2010 - dreams come true.

Our beautiful radiant bride!

2011 - having a blast at Mamaw's 90th birthday party.

Anticipating Erin -

It was a VERY pregnant Christmas in 2011.

And THEN

You were a MOMMY!!

January 23, 2012

Erin Mina Bosse' arrived

A precious gift from God.

You and Mike are wonderful parents!

Oct. 2013 - a "BRAVE" Halloween

Christmas 2013 - Aunt Lisa with her nieces

You and your sister may be all grown up.

Married and gone from home.

But -

you're still your Daddy's girls. Right?

Mothers Day 2014

OMGoodness, my darling granddaughter,

these 25 years have gone by in the blink of an eye

and my heart overflows with thanksgiving to God.

1. I'm thankful I got to be your grandmother.

2. I'm thankful God gave you parents who nurtured you in the knowledge of Him.

3. I am thankful for what an independent person you are.

4. But I'm also thankful you know when to ask for help.

5. I am thankful for your inner strength that is turning experience into wisdom.

6. I am thankful you have a heart that yearns for the One who made you.

7. I am thankful that you seek His face and not just His hands.

8. I am thankful you have friends you treasure.

9. And I'm thankful those friends treasure you in return. 

10. I am thankful you know you are accepted in the Beloved.

11. I'm thankful you are confident and comfortable to be who God made you.

12. I am thankful you have grateful spirit in good times and bad.

13. I am thankful for your compassionate heart.

14. I am thankful for your discernment in helping those who need you.

15. I am thankful for the way you love the Lord.

16. And I am thankful for how you express His love to others.

17. I am thankful for the way you see the best in others.

18. I am thankful for your heart for prayer.

19. I am thankful you have ears to hear the Lord's voice.

20. I am thankful God ordained Mike to be your husband.

21. I am thankful for the family God is creating through you and Mike.

22. I am thankful your home expresses who you are and welcomes those around you.

23. I am thankful God gave you godly in-laws who love you. 

24. I am thankful you strive for happiness without compromising holiness.

25. I am thankful I have gotten to share in so many milestones of your life.

I love you forever!  Gran