21 Today!

1 Samuel 1:27

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.

It was a cold February morning when we got the call…it’s time. My husband and I made our plans, got into the car and quickly drove to the hospital. Then we waited…and waited….and waited! I did remember that first babies take a long time. My first took an extra 10 days and 24 hours in labor. I digress.

As it got closer, I was actually allowed to go in for the birth. This was arranged with my beautiful daughter-in-love, Robin, a while before the expected birth. This was back in the day when the ‘gender revealing party’, was AT the birth, so we had no clue what the gender would be. My husband and I had 2 boys, and Robin had 2 sisters and a brother, so it could go either way. Well, before long the baby came out far enough that we could see wild shocks of black hair. Then snuck right back in! However, with the next push, revelation, “it’s a girl” someone in the room yelled. I said no way and waited to see for myself. Well, she snuck back in again, but with one long hard push…out came Jaron Taylor-perfect! No, I’m serious, she was perfect. I fell in love!

Well, before long as the nurses cleaned her up, measured her, weighed her and of course stuck her heel for some kind of test, she began to scream! I chuckled on the inside, well there it is that fallen human nature, screaming because it hurts (as we all did, by the way).

Playing school was one of our favorite pass times at age 4. she was always the teacher; I was the good student in her class that always answered correctly and behaved. There were some (imaginary) boys that were not so good! She scolded them into submission. I even have a note from ‘my teacher’ that claims I read well that day’. I love my ‘teacher’.

It seemed to be just a blink and she was a toddler. We were walking around smelling each of the flowers in the front yard. Jaron would breathe in very loudly as she enjoyed each scent, and a bee or two. Soon, she was in first grade and I was taking her to ballet lessons when her mom was busy. Watching all the little pink ballet shoes and leotards made me smile with pride at our little ballerina. On the way home she would sing to the song on the radio, with all the gusto a little girl could muster. Of course, she often told me where I should turn too, and she was right every time. How could it be that I love her even more?

One day when she was riding in the back seat with me and hubby, she started giggling. She was by herself, so we asked what she was laughing about. Being very nonchalant she stated that Jesus was tickling her. We got a kick out of that and realized that she had a sweet relationship with her Savior. I pray it always is that close.

Kindergarten came and went with uniforms, back-packs, cookie sales and skinned knees. And an end of the year performance for the parents where she was a ‘bed bug’. THE cutest kid in the play, by the way! And before you know, first grade is on her notebooks. The school years seem to blur together as one unit of holidays, vacations, and of course, piano, Oh, I almost forgot, she loves shoes! I could always find her in my closet with all my shoes around her as she tried them ALL on, often strutting out to show us all how well she could walk in heels! (Not). One event however was the highlight of the school years. The year Jaron became a ‘big sister’. She stayed with us for a few days until the ‘big event’. When she saw her baby brother, Evan, she fell in love (so did we). She has loved him ever since. They became almost inseparable as the years went by, and still are best friends.

Jaron has excelled in her piano and played on the worship team at church she was formerly attending. Of course, she also is involved with the children’s ministry at the church, pouring into the kids. I have several paintings that she has done, and I would like to think that she gets that creative vein from her Nana! This beautiful and talented girl can do anything she sets her mind to do!

High school, girl talk, make-up, nail polish, boy talk and mood swings are all the memories of the last four years of high school fun. Of course, there were ‘super bowl’ games thrown in that mix too. Jaron was born during the super bowl time frame, so, it has special meaning to us. Toward her senior year we began to ask, “what are your plans for after high school?” We may have been asking too often, because she would not answer. She just kept her thoughts to herself, until the right time. Then one day she surprised us with a gift. It was a flag for our front yard for Liberty College. She made her decision and was now sharing it, in her own way! I was elated, then scared to think she was moving away from us. Not to worry Nana, I am continuing with cyber-college! Relief, I am not ready to see her go.

She received an Associate degree from Liberty University last year. She has made the Dean’s List with a 4.0 GPA. She works now at Hobby Lobby and has been climbing up that ladder! The world has yet to see what Jaron will do. We KNOW it will be awesome and we will support her in her endeavors!

When I think of these last 20 years with my one and only granddaughter, I want to cherish every minute, but, I feel like i have forgotten so many moments. Once the boys came along the noise level became too great to hear our one little girl. But Jaron is allowing her own voice to be heard! She is well versed in politics, and very pro-life. Not afraid to stand up for her beliefs. On her breaks from school we enjoy a day hanging out and having lunch. It’s our catch-up time. I cherish it! One day she will move out into her own family, but these days will always be in my heart.

I look at the picture of her with the outdoors behind her. I can imagine that beautiful scene behind her signifies the 20 years she has been here with us on the earth, our treasure, for sure. Before her you could imagine that she is looking at the future that God is taking her to the many many adventures ahead! I for one, can’t wait to see where the Lord is taking her on her own track with Him. I pray for this young, beautiful, vibrant believer that she will rock this world in her own way!

I love you, Miss Jaron Taylor! I wish for you the Best Birthday Ever! Nana