NOT PLANNED, BUT PERFECT! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGAN!

We're celebrating a birthday this week in the Herd! Our third daughter (my youngest) has reached the milestone of a teenager. Thirteen years old. She joins her older sister AND older bonus sister as they too are thirteen. Three teenage daughters! It's like the universe put its hand on my shoulder, whispered, "I love you," and then kicked me right in the balls.

When Morgan's mom and I found out she was expecting our second child, the news wasn't received with the same fanfare as when we found out about her older sister. Nope. She was most definitely an "oopsie baby." The news of her pregnancy was also a kick to the privates. Her mom was still on the mend from her older sister, and given that she had a C-section, my guilt and stress level was through the roof. All of the check-ups showed no concerns, and her mom had a very issue-free pregnancy. But I still worried about the challenges my child might face.

As stressed as I was throughout the pregnancy, Morgan arrived perfectly healthy. Sometimes I think it may be too healthy. From day one, she's had this sassiness and resilience about her. Though challenging in her younger years, those qualities have grown to become her strongest traits. She's quick-witted and speaks her mind. She can act like a teenager, but the little girl in her still shines through from time to time.

Morgan is one of Evynnes' favorite people in the entire world. When she first met her bonus sister, she pulled me close and said, "I can tell that she and I are going to be best friends". She's made good on this statement ever since. Morgan also shares a bond with my wife that always makes me smile. And she and her older sister, Tori, are the best of friends, practically inseparable, even if she did steal Tori's thunder as a baby.

She is uniquely Morgan. There's no one quite like her.

I still worry from time to time about the trials my daughter may face as she gets older. But my confidence in her ability to rise above them grows more every day as I watch her develop into a confident, young woman. When faced with a challenge, she smiles and chuckles and gives the impression of "I'll be ok." And she always is.

As unplanned as Morgan may have been, she has been nothing short of a gift to us all. She's constantly making us laugh with her unique personality and stories. I value every second I get to spend with her as I know that one day she'll be on her own. That's a hard reality for me to swallow sometimes. She's already thirteen years old and a far cry from the toddler that would crawl on top of me and pass out with me on the couch.

Even writing this blog, I feel scatterbrained with memories of her. I miss how small she once was, yet I'm so excited to watch her grow. I enjoy listening to her dream about her future. Dreams of being a 911 operator, or maybe a cop. Dreams of being a mom of her own in due time. No matter how big her dreams maybe, my little girl is always going to be my little girl.

I'm so grateful for this daughter that I never planned to have, to raise, and to love. She makes me feel blessed. She has taught me things that only she could. And I will never tire of hearing her say, "I love you Dad". Sometimes the greatest gifts are the unexpected ones. Morgan was most certainly unexpected, and knowing who she is, that part of her story makes her perfect.

Happy Birthday, Kiddo, you're my favorite surprise.

Mike - The Herdfather.