Happy 18th Birthday Leslie

Well, our daughter is now a legal adult. It is very weird typing the words daughter and adult in the same sentence. Regardless of how weird it seems "it is what it is". I put that phrase in quotes because it seems to be the new saying... a lot of people are saying it now. Not sure where it came from or who said it first but it is getting around.

Back to Leslie..... We started Leslie's birthday day with Greg and I attending the High School Award Ceremony. Leslie received an award for her presentation of her Multiflora Rose (invasive species) project to Sinclair. She and her friend Jill worked very hard on this particular project. They learned how to infect the plant with a mite which would kill the plant and not harm the ecosystem surrounding the plant.



After the award ceremony I took Les out of school so she and I could spend the day together. I figured for the next 4 years she will be in college studying for finals in May so I took advantage of the opportunity and took the day off work. We went to Chipotle where we met Greg and my dad for lunch. Chipotle is one of Leslie's favorite restaurants. My dad gave Les a Kohls give certificate for her birthday which immediately started burning a hole in her pocket....... So our next stop was Kohls.

We shopped a few hours at Kohls. We shopped for shorts, shirts ,dresses, belts, shoes, jewlery... pretty much every department except housewares.

We rushed home to meet up with Gregory and Nick so we could go to dinner with friends and family to finish celebrating Leslie's birthday. Les decided she wanted to go to China Cottage for dinner. I have lost track of how many of Leslie's birthdays have been celebrated at Chinese restaurants.




The table where we sat had a large lazy susan in the middle of the table. Greg immediately started spinning everything around on the table. Need some salt? Here you go..... Need a menu? Oh, let me get one over to you.... It was great entertainment. Speaking of entertainment we also were entertained by our silverware... never a dull moment with this group.








As I sat there watching the group place spoons on their noses I noticed our little girl had grown up... she sat there laughing along, placing spoons on HER nose and having fun with the rest of the group. A few years ago she would have been horrified and incredibly embarrassed. She wasn't blowing out candles with pigtails or braids... she didn't need a big box gift to make her day special... she embraced time spent with family and friends. She was excited about her gift of a lap top computer from mom and dad and looked forward to using it at college in the fall.


We had a wonderful dinner and great conversation. Les made her way around the table thanking everyone for coming and for her gifts.






Each year on our kids birthdays we have given them a hug or a kiss when their time of birth came around . Leslie was born at 9:22am.. .which has been a pretty convenient time throughout the years until she hit middle school. Teachers were not as willing to allow her to step out of class so mom could give her a hug at 9:22. This is when I started giving her cards to read at 9:22. Cards that tell her how much I love her and how blessed I feel to be her mother. I told her this year in her card (which she had to read during the award ceremony this year) she will always be my little girl.

Every now and then she will have a certain expression and I get to see a glimpse of the sweet, little, pigtailed girl who loved to play with rolly pollys. Mostly, however, when I look at her I see a beautiful young lady who is responsible and intelligent and has the world at her finger tips. I embrace this new journey and will walk along side her as she discovers her place in life... I will always see the little glimpse of my little girl who will remain very near and dear to my heart regardless of how old she becomes.

I love you Leslie Nicole Jergens! Happy 18th Birthday.