Yeager Who?

Lena and Jacob

I had a friend remind me today that my blog was a little behind.  A little behind?  She was being kind.  She said she hadn't read about Princess Lena's 21st birthday and she was scolding me (in a nice way) that I needed to get on that.  In usual fashion, I could make excuses but this time I have a good one!  Ashley's wedding has totally consumed me!  Putting that aside for awhile I am going to focus on my baby's birthday.  August 25, 1990 was a beautiful day and By and I had every intention of going to a wedding.  Byron's friend Chuck was getting married and though I was 9 months pregnant I felt like a million bucks.  Needless to say, we never made it to the wedding because (aided by the railroad tracks in Monon) my water broke on the way to the wedding! I "knew" I was having a boy because this pregnancy had been so different from the first.  Yes, I "knew" I was having a boy and I even "knew" his name was Yeager Byron.  I had seen "him" several times in my mind and I had loved  "him"  unconditionally for the nine months I carried "him".  I was so thrilled that we were going to have a son to go with our beautiful daughter!  I was so excited that I had actually gone into labor with "him" on my dad's birthday.  That was an extra special thing and I knew it would make an unbreakable bond between grandfather and grandson!  Ah it was perfect!  Labor was quick, again very unlike the first time, and I actually was enjoying the process.  So, you can imagine our surprise when Dr. Sunkel announced that "he" was a GIRL!  A big, healthy, 21", 8 and 1/2 pound BEAUTIFUL GIRL!  Girl? Wait, that can't be.  Did he say Girl?  Oh my goodness and suddenly there we were, Byron and I looking at each other in disbelief because we "knew" all along that SHE was a HE!  Possibly it was because we had thought she was a boy that she became such a girly girl.  She was, is and will always be a princess.  The one thing that never changed and never disappointed was the relationship between SHE and HER grandfather.  Close as two peas in a pod, they loved to spend time together.  Right up until the day he passed away.  And without fail, every year on THEIR birthday he would sing the Baby Llama song to her.  A song that she learned early in life and would sing to him whenever she had the chance.

Many moons have passed since that day in August and her life has taken many twists and turns.  She has had trials and triumphs, both of which have made her into the beautiful young lady she is today.  They say it is the big milestones in life that shape you.  The birthdays,  graduations, getting a drivers license, and yes, turning 21.  But I believe it is the small things that have impacted Lena the most.  The lessons at the kitchen sink,  snuggling with her daddy on the couch when she was 3 and didn't feel well and maybe...no, certainly singing the Baby Llama song with her Grandpa.  We are so very proud of the sweet, silly, caring, precious woman that she has become and now we look fondly back and ask..."Yeager who"?