Today, our youngest is 16.  Unlike our other two, she wanted nothing to do with a party or anything else that involved us coordinating things to do for her and her friends. She let us know that she would make her own plans. She tried to wrangle a zoo trip and some laser tag with a group of friends to no avail, but she seemed to take it all in stride.  I expected a sullen, disappointed teenager when her plans didn’t come to fruition. Instead, she seemed  happy to be home over the weekend.  Her oldest sister flew in a few days ago to surprise her, which definitely made for a better than average Saturday and Sunday.

While driving around yesterday I told Reese about the day she was born.  I have done this many times over the years and it always elicits smiles, laughs and questions.  The funny thing is that as I shared her story I couldn’t help but compare that baby that came screaming into the world 16 years ago with the beautiful, young woman who was driving me around town.

Just like the Reese who stands before me today, she came in her own way; not when we thought she would arrive or how we thought it would happen.  She does things in her own time and in her own way.  She has to be comfortable with things before she moves forward. Reese likes to weigh her options and understand the consequences of everything she does.  She is cautious and at the same time she is fiercely independent.   She refuses to be talked into anything and must decide for herself which way to go.  Just when we think we have her figured out, she surprises us.

Being the youngest she always wanted to do what her older sisters were doing. She could cook her own lunch, make a mean batch of cinnamon rolls and do her own laundry before she finished elementary school.  We joked at 10 that we were thinking about getting her an apartment of her own. She loves fashion, but can’t pick out an outfit in less than 2 hours and will still change her mind 4 times before she walks out the door.  She hates math and numbers, but loves angles, symmetry, perspective and photography.  She loves hanging out with friends and at the same time could stay home and watch Sci Fi with her dad any night of the week.  She loves music, old and new, but can’t carry a tune to save her life.

Reese is smart, beautiful, outrageously funny, quietly competitive, creative, compassionate, generous to a fault, kind, talented and loving.  She is the grumpy teenager who will push you away at breakfast and want to snuggle by bedtime.  She is a force and she will find her way…in her own time and in her own unique way.

Happy 16th Birthday Reese!  We love you and can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes you.