Happy Birthday to Roo

Clarissa ( Roo) is 17 today.

There are so many things associated with her birthday. We moved into our house a week before she was born….and we had all of these changes that hit all at once. I was in a new marriage…blended family and a newborn. In a new small town and I left all I had known.

I will never say it was an easy transition. That would be a lie.

But I will say that the minute I brought this little girl home….our lives all changed forever. There was not one person in this house that wasn’t in love with her.

Anytime she learned something new she had 7 people asking her to constantly do it. Anytime she completed a milestone she had 7 people clapping and cheering her on. In fact they loved her so much they let her get away with everything because she was a baby. I would warn them of the mistakes they were doing by letting her get away with things they would never let another….but that fell by the wayside.

We learned soon enough that she was smart, she could read people like nobody’s business, she was stubborn, and creative. She is full of heart. She notices the little things. She likes when you take time and effort. She would rather have a homemade gift or food rather than anything store bought. She is simple. She doesn’t worry about make up and her hair so much. Just enough …..and she watches the videos ..but she will only do a full face at 10 pm when nobody can see her. Then she washes it off. She is a bit of a perfectionist and if things aren’t perfect it’s better not to try….that’s a downfall that I struggle with, constantly.

She is going to school and talks about college. She will follow through with those but her only real dream is to have animals, get married and have children.  She thinks about art and she loves home interior….but after she realized how much they make…LOL she was a little discouraged.

She isn’t interested in any boys her age. She has tried because there have been a few interested in her. But she can’t take any of them seriously. She has 4 older brothers that may have ruined that for any boy that comes along. I don’t encourage dating…and certainly not older guys. She hasn’t ever dated anyone. She is going into her senior year. So I know when there finally comes a guy that she is interested in….it’s going to be all or nothing. I just pray he’s a good one.

She is an introvert and spends all of her time with me and her dad. Mostly, me because her dad works a lot of hours. They do manage to go out shooting and catch a few meals here and there. I make her go to work so she will have some social activity but her favorite place is home.

I think we are both going to be in big trouble when she actually leaves home. She is my last one…and we have the thickest relationship. The other kids wanted to leave and get away, spread their wings. Clarissa not so much and after the pain of the other ones leaving the nest….I am going to have to be very mindful of making sure that I don’t clip her wings out of selfishness of wanting to be with her. I need to let her grow and experience life….even if neither of us want to face it.  That will be one of the hardest decisions of my life.

But for now she is still 17. She still has a year of school left. We can bury those thoughts for now….and live in our safe bubble. LOL

I will say that these last 17 years have been a blessing. We all raised a beautiful person with a big heart that is awkward, stubborn, loving, funny, smart, creative, and humble.

I feel incredibly blessed to have Roo in my life. God has big plans for her. I am looking forward to going along and watching her and see where life takes her.

My heart swells with love for you, My little Roo. always and forever.

Mom. Moma ( family joke)