Happy Birthday Bayley!!

My Sweet Bayley-Girl...

Hard to believe...almost impossible in fact...that you are 11 today.  You are growing up so fast!  It seems like just yesterday that I was dressing you up in your long smocked dress and bonnet (and those SIZE 2 shoes we had to make two trips to Dillards for because the saleslady wouldn't sell us such big shoes for a newborn the first time!  You had the longest, daintiest toes I'd ever seen. :))  And now you are becoming a young lady.

I miss the little baby you used to be, and I'm a bit sad to see your "little girl" years fading away...but I am so excited to see what God has in store for you from here.   You have already been through some strong storms at your young age.  God's grace in your life has been so evident as those storms have built faith, courage, and a strong sense of hope and trust that He has a plan for your life, and it is good.  

You are your daddy made over again...those big brown eyes, your seemingly endless energy, the precision and orderliness in all you do, that amazingly diligent work ethic.  And yet, you remind me so much of your namesake, Granny Kitty, in SO many ways.  Your sweet tooth is the most obvious...when you say, "I need something SWEET to eat", I can almost hear her voice!  Your love of shopping, clothes, and shoes...that hard work ethic and diligence...that stubborn streak that I first noticed only hours after your birth.  How many times have we said, "Bayley, you are SUCH a Katherine!" because you remind us so much of Granny Kitty?!  

Speaking of names, we had no idea how much the meaning of your name would fit you!  "Bayley" means "bailiff", which means "one who is charged with keeping order" (in a courtroom).  What a fitting name for one who is known for being an "organizer"!  We knew that your name would include Katherine from the moment we knew we were expecting you...we found out we were expecting the morning after Granny Kitty died, and I said, "This is going to be a girl, and her name will be Katherine."   Katherine means "pure", and God has given you such a strong desire to be "pure in heart".  

I love you, Bayley-Kate!  You will always be "My Girl"...

Mom