MCKENNA

Top left: McKenna and Meg (cousins, born six days apart)
Middle left: McKenna Reed Hickman
Bottom left : McKenna's birth announcement photo

Top right: Proud mommy and Kenna
Middle, middle: McKenna at first Christmas
Middle right: Proud Daddy (one week b/f his own b'day) and Kenna
Bottom right: McKenna in 5K

Today is a very special day in the Hickman Family. We love birthdays around here, and today we've reached a milestone. McKenna is 10 years old today!!! Yay!!!! I use "we" in this because I think her mommy and daddy are quite traumatized by this birthday for her. I know it may come to a shock to you that we could have a 10 year old and only be 25 ourselves, but believe it!
Ok...our age is not completely truthful, but we are traumatized nonetheless.

It seems like only yesterday I was hounding Jeff about starting a family. That was eight months into our marriage, and Jeff would also respond, "in God's perfect timing, it will happen." Three and a half years later, on a very warm July day, I took a pregnancy test in our little, tiny bathroom at Southeastern Seminary, and before I could even get the cap on the stick good, two lines appeared! I screamed and jumped so high I am certain I saw Jupiter. Jeff grabbed me and hugged me, and we both cried like babies, ourselves! It had finally happened. We were going to be parents! All my life, I knew that God had called me to be a mother. There was never a doubt in my mind that I would sacrifice my life, my hopes and my dreams to just be a mom. There was never a doubt that no matter what life may deal us, I would be home with any child we had. I simply wanted to be a mom.

You could say that my relationship with McKenna began at that very moment - the moment I knew she was on her way. I was madly in love with this baby that I had yet to meet. I talked to her, read to her and sang to her...and she liked my singing then, and she likes it now! :) I was head over heels in love with her. Her Daddy was, too. From the moment we knew she was coming, her Daddy began acting like a Daddy that would madly love his daughters. He was meant to be a dad. He was involved in every aspect of my pregnancy with Kenna...he even put on a pound or two just so I wouldn't get depressed! There was nothing else that mattered to us ten years ago than meeting this little girl by whom God had blessed.

Fast forward to today, April 25, 2008, we feel the same way. We are so very blessed to have McKenna in our family. She can best be described as a flower. She simply blossoms with each passing year. She is an asset to our family. She has the gift of mercy and is a servant at heart. She loves to do for others and she is most happy when we are surrounded by people. She has become my right hand girl when we have company over, and she likes to offer special suggestions for what we can do for others when they come over. She loves to read and take herself to an imaginary place, or to get in the past life of someone from history. She is passionate about the outdoors, especially her two dogs. She loves her sisters, even. They may bicker, but in the end, the four girls are inseparable. She would do anything for them. Our proudest moment, though, is that McKenna gave her life to the Lord a couple of years ago, and she takes her walk with God seriously, spending time in God's word before she goes to bed at night. She takes the love God has for her to heart. She wants to see others saved and her usually quiet nature comes alive when she invites others to come to church with her. She is a Godly woman in the making...beautiful both inside and out.

Happy Birthday our special girl. Today we are honored to let our readers know just how very much we love you. You are always our little girl, but we love seeing you grow up. Hope today is all that you want it to be!