I could place this back in last week’s posts, but I don’t want it to get buried there. I’ve been so consumed with the passing of my good friend, Becky’s husband that I put off writing about one of my favorite people in the entire world. Well, actually — this entire world and the next world!!!!! [Although this post is actually quite a bit about her and all the shopping we did for her!]

You might guess who it is! Mikelle!

Happy [belated] Birthday, Mikelle.

She told me the saddest story the other day. She was perched on the black kitchen stool and we were eating, of all things, vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. This after we both ate approximately 3 pounds of queso and scoop Doritos. AND cheesecake with a variety of toppings. AND three [snack size] Snickers bars AND some caramels from Sugar and Spice.

Despicable!

Anyway, here’s the story . . .

“By the way Mom, I’m pretty hurt that you didn’t even write about me on your blog on my birthday. I just want you to know that I looked every single day for over a week and then I went back a week before just in case you wrote it early and I missed it and then went forward again and again and again. But zippo. Zero. Nada. Nothing written about your favorite daughter. Well, your second favorite daughter. But your favorite daughter when you don’t count Tracy. And I just have to say that my heart actually quivered in pain and hurt and disappointment. And several tears spilled out and splashed on my spotlessly cleaned floor and I felt so rejected and neglected and affected and dejected and deflected.” [OK, she didn’t really think of all those words.] But she was hurt.

So, today, I want to write about how very, VERY much this girl means to me. I adore her! Always have [except for a few short years when we could hardly speak a civil word to each other . . .] [I think I wrote that last year, too] I’m  so glad, thrilled, actually, that I had these last two kids way-late in my life — Stephen and Mikelle — when I was nearly old enough to croak. People have said they kept me young. Um. No. But I do completely cherish them.

I’m so, so, so, happy and relieved about the choices she has made in the last year or so. So pleased that the gospel is [finally] important to her. So happy that her husband loves and cares for her. So excited to see them be sealed in the temple next month.

And I’m proud of the way she is learning and changing and growing. So tickled that she is wearing clothes that can be worn with garments. So blessed by her love and kindness toward me.

So lucky that I can drive a round trip of 330 miles for a haircut almost any time I need one and she doesn’t charge me a red cent.

Happy, happy, happy, happy 22nd Birthday!

I love you!!!!!

Oh, wait. She wanted me to say what an adorable baby she was, too, [very true] and that I waited all my life to have her [true, again] and that she made all the difference in my life. [Again, oh, so true!]

Love, love love!