Twenty one years ago tonight, I was (thankfully) not timing the contractions during the second of my third day of labor to deliver one ornery little shit named Lauren Elizabeth. Two days worth of irregular contractions at home, and still no kid to show for it but I had a few pain free hours.

On the next morning, a Saturday, I said to hell with it and went to the hospital up the street where I worked in the lab. It was time for the show to get on the road, so to speak. From 10AM until 10:04PM on September 22nd I labored to birth that child. My epidural worked so good I couldn't feel my legs until the next day. Meanwhile, out in the waiting room, there was a pizza party going on. My co-worker Linda Mc didn't tarry very long when she came in to draw my blood. Poopsie wasn't in good humor at all. The doc stuck with me the whole way.....never left the place. The way she put it to me, straight up, was like this: "You can push for 30 more minutes or I can use these forceps and git her done." Guess what I picked? Strong women know when to say when.

The little monster finally got born and we survived to enjoy the mother daughter thing, Girl Scouts and all.

I could tell some tales on her birthday eve, but I won't. Instead, I'll just tell you how much I love this young woman and respect who she is. A softie with a big heart for the elderly and animals and her mom and her dad. Ditto for the other loves of her life, which includes her doting grandparents, her b'friend, three cats and two dogs and a brazilian friends. Great cook. Internet guru. Mighty fine artist.

Max was the first to call her LP, and it stuck through the ages. Here's to you, Babygirl. My birthday wish for you is for passion in whatever you do and peace to go along with it. Mom loves you to pieces. ^j^