For My Daugher On Her Birthday

Tonja.... What can I say about this special baby, young lady, and now grown woman and a mother herself. She was born on a fiercly cold, snowy and windy day in 1970, but oh my, the warmth that she brought to her Dad and I as we held her and looked into that sweet little muched up face with a "conehead" crown. She made sunshine break out in that hospital room and a warm glow was all around. We did not know if she was going to be a girl or a boy, but we did have names picked out for her. If the baby was a girl her name would be Tonja (this Mom loved the movie Dr. Zivago). Even tho she looked more like a Lara, she got the name Tonja with the scandinavian spelling. Tonja,,, how I have come to love that name more then I could ever imagine. For our Tonja, brought excitement whenever she walked into the room. She still does. Her personality is sunshine. Wow, we are blessed. She had a sweet and playful disposition as a little girl who slept all through the night before we even left the hospital. Her teen years, like for most teens, was a little rocky. However, at a young age she gave her heart and life to Christ. I will never forget the night she broke up with a young man she was dating who was not a christian. It was a VERY hard thing for her to do and my heart broke with hers and her Dad and I were so proud of her. Today she is a strong Christian lady that is leading her family in the ways of Christ. She has her hands so full with 2 teenage girls and 2 young ones 4 and 6.

Tonja, I just want to tell you again, how very proud I am of you. I thank God over and over and over again for blessing your Dad and I with your birth. You have been a source of so much joy for me and your Dad when he was living.

I love you Tonja and I miss you so very much.

Love and prayers forever.
Mom