Meet Bethany!

This is Bethany! Bethany is our second child, the middle child, and our first daughter. Bethany is our listener, our thoughtful child, our student.
Unbelievably, Bethany is 17, soon to be 18 years old. It's so bittersweet. We raise them up, to let them go, that's the goal. Memories flood my mind as I write. She's been our precious petunia, Jordan's beppy ru, and is still Hannah's beloved sister. Since her 16th birthday, she loves us three plump juicy grapes at bed time, a story for another time. Vivid memories of her daddy chasing her around the kitchen island, at about 15 months of age, still make me laugh out loud. Thinking about her daddy standing beside our bed, holding her hands, as she was jumping on the bed, still makes me smile...and sigh. Bethany! Beautiful inside and out.
There are many things I could tell you about Bethany. She really is our student...a student of life, people, and her surroundings. She listens and observes. When she was very little her people questions were, who is that, where are they going, why are they going there, what are they doing, and where do they live? Being that I was her amazing mommy she couldn't believe that I rarely knew the answers. She said that when she was big she was going to meet every person in the whole wide world. As Bethany
studied her surroundings she did so with her entire self. I was sure that I was the only mom in the neighborhood who yelled out the window, "Bethany, please don't lick the sidewalk," or "we don't eat grasshoppers" or how about, "lets not lick the sand off of the shovel." Experiencing things with your whole self often requires slithering along the ground like a snake rather then motating vertically. We didn't track Bethany by following her footprints in the snow...we followed a long, long line. How could anyone cover so much ground on their stomach?
One winter day I got a knock at the door and opened it to Bethany. I didn't recognize her at first because her blue winter coat had so much snow stuck on it I could barely see the blue. Her tongue was out (you must read the following with your tongue out) and she said something like, "I suck my tong on the gill." You got it. Her tongue got stuck on the gas grill while she was learning about what happens when you touch your tongue to a grill. The end of her little tongue was very red and raw! OUCH! Once I learned that there is a learning style called kinesthetic, I was much less concerned.
A few more things about Bethany: She is inspiring and forgiving, humble and modest. She is loyal and true. She loves God and children. At 17 she has read through her Bible three times and has done devotions daily since she was 11. She babysits for lots of families. I think we have counted over 30. She has volunteered in the toddler nursery on Sunday mornings for six and a half years.
If I had to come up with one word to describe Bethany I would have to go with discipline. The consistent discipline that she exercises has taken her personality and molded it into an awesome young woman who is inspirational and motivating to those around her, including me. Thanks Bethany for what you mean in my life. You are loved a "bunch." Mom.
Dear God, Thank you for our beautiful Bethany Joy. She has brought joy and understanding into our family by showing us how to accept all who are different. You are so awesome in wisdom, giving good gifts, exactly what we need. We needed Bethany in our family. Thank you for loving me and may I love you back, by acknowledging that Bethany is Yours and not mine. I pray that she will be a wonderful student of who You are and all that You have done. Amen.