The sun is awake!

Most days I allow my alarm clock to alert me for well over an hour before I actually do what it is telling me to do- get up. Realizing this is a bad habit, I decided that I would leave the music from z88.3 that plays as my alarm to keep playing. I figured, what a great way to start the day! So this morning, as Tatum was snuggled beside me on a cold morning when the musical alarm beckoned me out of bed, I lay there just a little longer to absorb the moment of my beautiful daughter in a state of complete peace. As I was gently wiping boogars from beneath her nose, I remembered back to when she was a toddler.

Tatum talked at a very early age, at 5 months she had masted mama and dada, and by 7 months, she looked out our bedroom window and said "Dird" as she gazed at a bird on a wire. The floodgates opened from there and our house has not had a quiet moment since. She also began walking shortly after bypassing the crawling stage all together. To say she is my active child does not do her personality justice.

At about two, and speaking in full sentences, she would wake up each morning, come find me sleeping wherever I was and annnounce with a full heart of joy, "Mommy, the sun is awake!" as though it was a surprise to her that the amazing sun had done it again. This was of course my queue to get up, make her breakfast, and be awake with the sun. In the moment as sweet as it was, I certainly did not appreciate that she woke with the sun, at the same time as the sun, whatever time that may have been. If the sun was awake, in her mind she too must be awake. Looking back, the nievity and innocence of her daily proclomation brings absolute delight to my soul. She was rejoicing in a miracle we take for granted....

She is completely unaware that she has taught me any lessons in this life, but my daughter at the age of nine has taught me more than I ever could have dreamed. I tell her often that I am glad she's my daughter, she doesn't realize that had it not been for the unplanned blessing of herI would not be the person I am today. To date, these are the lessons I have learned from her:

Dance while everyone is watching, so what if they laugh it's good for the soul.

Making a complete fool of yourself brings joy to someone else, go for it.

Have compassion for those that are not as strong, one day you'll need help too.

Drama queens love glitter. And glitter makes us happy...

Boys drool and Girls rule no matter who they are!

The Son is Awake! Every day! Let's be awake too!

All the world is a stage, but I'd rather perform in our living room for my family!

God, I love her! What a blessing!

Addie Owens-Donovan