Ridgell's Originals

Our daughter Julie turned 43 this past Saturday.  If you regularly read my blog -- and thanks to both of you -- you know that I always write about family members on birthdays and anniversaries.  I write about why I love them and am so proud of them. 

I do this for a couple of reasons.  One is selfish.  I need to always be reminded of how blessed I really am.  And I do it for them.  I want each of them to be affirmed and saluted.  I want them to see themselves the way I see them.  And I think the way God sees them.

So here are just a few of the reasons I celebrate Julie.

She is a survivor.  You wouldn't know it to see her now.  You couldn't always see it a few years ago.  But Julie went thru a horrible five or six years health-wise.  They could not get it diagnosed.  Thought it was cancer or kidney failure.  It was horrible.  And she battled right thru it.  Kept working.  Kept being a Mom.  Kept helping other people.  Fought off her fear.  Asked God to let her get her kids raised. 

She is amazingly better now.  Identified and treated some issues.  Got some help.  Had some significant life circumstances change.  But she will tell you it was God.  God who listened to her, God who answered her prayers.  God who saved her.

She is tough and she is a fighter.

She is a great nurse.  I don't mean just professionally, though she is amazingly competent and skilled.  But she loves people.  We have had people tell us how scared or nervous they were before a procedure until they saw Julie was there nurse.  She holds their hand, prays for them, stays till things are over.  Some of them she knows.  Some she recognizes as people we know and identifies herself.  People ask for her to be their nurse.  She has a presence and a peace that reaches people.

Loves her kids.  She would die for them.  She does live for them.

Great daughter.  We used to always say Marsha's Mom was #1, Marsha was #2, and Julie was number #3.  Then Avery was #4.  When Granny went home, they all moved up.  But those three are really connected.  Avery has good role models.

And a fun aunt.  Good sister.  Great friend. 

Our lives changed forever 43 years ago. 

Thanks Jules.

Because everything is better with you around.