gabby for president.

My baby's fourteenth birthday just got over,

I love her.... most the time because she is just like her mother, in all the best ways. our family is filled with "gabby stories". but there are other reasons to love her, i'll tell you a few....

She sings with a voice like sun warmed honey, she has taught herself to play the piano. and the guitar, she writes music prolifically.

Did you know she has taken up archery and in about twenty five hours of practice improved remarkably. she went this summer to having trouble predictably hitting a 30 inch wide target, to putting five arrows on a target that I could cover with my hand at the same distance.

She puts on this act like she is self centered and a little arrogant with her sisters and brother but none of them have served so often and with such kindness at a nearby senior care center, as she has.

Most every thing she does, that is so Christlike, for some reason she keeps secrete and I can't pretend to know why, it is one of the enigma's that decorate her personality.

The story I will tell you of today is one not often spoken of in our family, but it is important nonetheless and might further illuminate my youngest daughter.....

About two years ago she went to work with me one winter day, it was probably Christmas break. She wanted to earn some money for presents she wanted to buy for Friends and family. so she came to clean up the job site and help in any way she could, she is very good help.

As we headed home it was after dark and before I got in the truck I tested my blood sugar to make sure I was well , i was, and we began driving south from salt lake city to home. as sometimes happens on wintery days in Utah it was stormy and snowy. Traffic was moving at a crawl so that a one hour trip turned into three hours. In that time my blood sugar dropped.

I didn't realize I was in trouble until we were caught between exits and the slow progression of traffic was hindering our ability to get off the road and find something to fix the situation, it quickly went from bad to worst to horrible...

as I drifted off I dimly remember her carefully and skillfully telling me what to do to pull off the road... She lacked the strength to take over so she somehow got me to do what was necessary to pull off safely. I don't remember 99% of it I woke up in an ambulance along side the road.

But I do remember a twelve year old TELLING paramedics exactly what was wrong with me and how to fix it, they didn't listen to her at first but when one of them couldn't figure out how to operate a glucometer that they had. She retrieved mine from the truck and showed them.

Then they listened to her. She never backed down and inch. I woke up to my twelve year old barking orders at some very sheepish blue shirted EMT's...Not knowing I was mostly awake, I heard one of them wispered to the other

"jees that little girl is gonna take over the freakin' world."

With in ten minutes I was back and fully functioning....She was a little proud of herself . So was I.

My weakness is the bane of my existence. i never come out of a low with out feeling humiliated and stressed.

She and I have had some epic arguments, but she has never mentioned that day or my debt to her.

I told you that to tell you this.

she is special,

talented,

beautiful,

and possessing the heart of a lion.

She is what is best in both sides of our family.