Little One Turns Fifteen

I am from apple trees

From silly putty and those rubber chickens

I am from the tall, green bushes and beautifully-colored flowers

Crushingly ordinary, boring, suburban insignificance

I am from sunlight and forests

Dark branches twirling with bright leaves

I’m from carnivals by the beach and unnecessary screaming

From Evelyn and Tess

I’m from loud, stupid parties and an overpowering amount of extroverts

From “We put the FUN in dysfunctional!” and “What are y’all up to?”

I’m from occasional instances of the Bible, but a ton of lazy Sundays

I’m from dreadful W-------, where nothing exhilarating will ever occur

Weird, healthy ice pops, cheap sushi

From Christmas cookies gobbled less than an hour before the party even starts

The second batch of cookies, still in the oven when the guests arrive

That dusty, cramped attic

And the small bit of love that keeps us all together.

– Little One, September 16, 2019

I’d like to wish my Little One the happiest of birthdays, today, her fifteenth. It’s almost unfathomable to me that fifteen years ago I held her tiny eight pounds in my arms for the first time, 6:12 in the evening on that rainy Tuesday. Through the years she’s amazed me, made me proud, made me pull out my hair, made me happy.

Love you Little One!