It's Your Birthday, Baby Girl

Tomorrow is your twenty-eighth birthday. I've been there for all of them, amazed each year at how much you've grown. Even when you stopped physically growing, you kept growing emotionally, socially, spiritually. I am so very proud of the woman you have become.
You work harder than anyone I've ever met. You also have more energy! When you told me you worked all day and then came home to go out running, I was amazed. You told me once when you were a little girl you were determined to never be fat, and you've stuck to that. You have balance, not just in eating but in all areas of your life.
I'm proud of your faith. You are stedfast in your spiritual life, never doubting, and you live what you believe. You give of your talents in playing the flute for the church orchestra.
You are good to your friends, and patient. You sit with them through infertility, divorce, death of a child, miscarriages, and you still write, call, and go to see them even when you may not feel like it.
You've stood behind your family and your husband's. Even when you haven't agreed with the decisions others have made, you still love them and stand by them as family.
You take time to enjoy your life. You plan things to look forward to. You thoroughly enjoy your travels, your impromptu ski trips, your hikes in the snaky trails.
You take time to laugh. You can look at the hard things and still manage to laugh about them. You patiently listen each birthday for your yearly birthday song, no matter how bad the singing may be.
You care about other's feelings. You have never in your life said anything to intentionally hurt anyone.
You take time to cry. I know it's hard for you to cry, but I've seen you pass the Kleenex during Steel Magnolias.
You are generous. I see you at Christmas buying bicycles for kids you don't know. You share what you have and give back.
You are an amazing woman, and I'm very proud to be your mama. Live long and happy, my baby girl. Happy Birthday!