Friday, December 12, 2008

Happy Birthday, Tia!

The baby that graced me with the title "Mother", my first-born, 
is 19 YEARS OLD!


2 years...

For the longest time, Tia had a deep, raspy little voice.  
It was very distinctive.  
She used to love to bear her testimony, and although the congregation could rarely see her face above the pulpit, her voice and her bow, made quite the impression.  Even now, many years later, people remember us from our previous ward as "Tia's Mom and Dad".  
(Not a bad title, either!)


8 years old...
In her baptism dress 
(don't be mad, Tia...I know how you despise this picture, but I love it!)
And yes, we are so grateful for good orthodontists!


16 years old...
Tia loves playing tennis and it was a highlight for us to watch her play in junior high and highschool.

And now today...one of my best friends and my beautiful daughter!
We have loved watching Tia grow up, make good choices and develop into an amazing person.
We look forward to watching her life continue to unfold!
Excerpts from a letter to Tia, December 1989...

(at the time, we lived in California, away from all our family.  
Tia was born 10 days early, thus the grandmas were not yet in town, and the mother just a bit surprised at her early arrival)

This month, more than any other up to this point in my life, is most memorable.  After 3 1/2 years of marriage and two long years of longing for a baby, you were our answer to many prayers and much patience.

For as long as your daddy and I have been dating and married, we always talked about our "Baby Tia".  

On Tuesday, December 12, 1989, at 3:37pm, our dream came true!  We finally had our long awaited baby--"Baby Tia".

There wasn't a prouder father in the hospital that day.  Your dad asked every nurse on duty if you weren't the cutest baby in the nursery.  He also became acquainted with many of the other new fathers and took every opportunity to show you off.

We came home from the hospital on the night of December 13th, just 24 hours after your birth.  Driving home from the hospital was one of the scariest and most overwhelming 30 minutes of my life.  To know and realize that we were responsible for your well-being, both spiritually and physically, gave me butterflies.  

We arrived home to all the Christmas decorations and lights.  You were our biggest, best and only Christmas present that year, but you made that Christmas most memorable.  

We love you, Tia...    Happy 19th birthday!

3 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Happy, Happy Birthday Tia! Can't believe you are 19 years old! I remember the first time I saw you - you smiled at me! We love you and think you are the best! PS you were kinda my first baby too since your mom and dad were so generous to share you with me!

Suz said...

allison... You make it look like fun to have all (but one) family birthdays and Christmas in the same month! HOW? And your little letters to the girls are a keepsake! Surely you have a hard copy of those for the ladies?
Happy Birthday Tia! Big 19... If she were Clark she'd be headed on a mission... Don't close your eyes!

The Mckays said...

alison, you are amazing! all those pictures of everyone as they grow up and even a special letter to go with their birth?! that was the sweetest letter i have ever read, it made me tear up. kyle is already talking about his "baby girl" and i'm sure he'll be a lot like curt after the birth. thanks for being such a great example to me! i am very impressed and i love looking at all your pics.