Sweet 16!

Jordan turns 16 tomorrow. She was only four years old when Rich and I started dating. Instantly she stole my heart.  (Those of you who have met her, you know exactly why I say this.)  She's one of my best friends and we have a blast together.  I could not have picked out a better daughter if I tried. 

We have so much in common.  She loves working out, drag racing; which by the way she learned to drive my Camaro this past weekend.  (Remember my Camaro is a race car...with a race clutch...and a 6-speed...with 410 gears...and Detroit Locker in the rearend.  All this equals difficult to learn to drive for anyone; not to mention her first time with a clutch!)  She did awesome!  I called her a Rockstar.  I called her dad immediately to tell him; he called her a Rockstar too.  Now if I can teach her to power shift...

Granted she's my stepdaughter; I am ok always being called the stepmom...cause the title comes with the greatest daughter ever!

She's the only girl I have....that is 'til our boys get married and I gain daughter-in-laws.  (But they're way too young to even think about dating, let alone marriage, since they can't start doing that 'til they're...like, oh I don't know...30?)


Ok, back to Jordan. 
How did she go from the little girl that liked to sleep in foam rollers...

to the girl who dreamed about having a smart car...
(January 2008)

to going out for her very first driving lesson with her Daddy...

to getting her OWN car? 

(This was a present for her 16th birthday that her Daddy picked out all by himself...weeks ago.  He adores her.  Tells her to find others her adore her for the right reasons.  He reminds her true love waits...and she IS worth waiting for.  He puts her on a pedestal and tells her to stay there...and to make whomever she dates raise his standards to reach her.  I would be hard pressed to find another Daddy who is more giddy for their daughter.  He smiles when you bring her up in conversation, and quite literally never stops gushing about her.)


I've got to tell you, she has her priorities in order.  She always places God first, others second, herself last.  This past October I was volunteering for The Liberty Womens Clinic at their annual 5k/10k event.  She found out and said, "I want to do it with you at 5AM.  I can always catch up on sleep."  (I had wrote that in my journal because her decision made such an impact on me.)  Not only did she volunteer...she did it in STYLE! 

(This is her all decked out in "spirit wear" to encourage the runners!)


I've said it before, but it bears repeating.  I am eternally blessed to have a front row seat to watch her grow into this beautiful young woman. 

HAPPY SWEET 16!