August 13, 1986

Twenty three years ago this very day, August 13, 1986, all the world stopped to welcome one of God's great creations. To some this may have been an ordinary day but to Kent and me this marked a MIRACLE, a defining moment in our lives, it was a most joyous day. After having exalted means of a premier Houston Infertility Specialist God miraculously placed in our lives the potential to adopt an unborn child. We did not search for this child rather we were notified of the possibility.

Everything that lead to the adoption was a miracle. Kent was an evangelist at the time of Redonia's birth and I travelled with him. I can only say God's favor was upon us. How we passed the social checks of finances, home, etc is still baffling. When God does things they are done right! I prayed for a girl and only had girl things when she was born.

Redonia was a most pleasant baby. She laughed and smiled all the time. She was an adventuresome toddler. In fact adventure began with her at 8 months climbing out of her crib. A little over one year she climbed the ornamental iron work on the front porch and literally swang from the roof. At six years of age she climbed on the roof and jumped onto the trampoline. Redonia began reading books when she was four. She still loves to read. When Redonia was eight she began creating dolls and clothes on the computer. She soon learned to animate them. She began taking pictures when she was nine or ten.

Redonia is a very compassionate person. When she was about three she would beg her dad to pull over and give our car to people walking along the road. She would say "Daddy they don't have a car stop and let's give them ours." We would question, "What will we do?" Redonia would say "We can get another car or we can walk but look they look tired". She would cry if we passed stray animals along the road. This compassion has continued. Today she uses her funds to buy things for her friends and those less fortunate. She forever has to buy gum to make sure she has some to share with her little friends. All the children on the bus route loves her.

Redonia is loved by those young and old. In fact we've actually had trouble at church from time to time because everyone thought they were Redonia's bestfriend. Of course little girls 9 - 12 don't share their besties very well. She just has a little knack of making everyone think she loves them most.

Redonia's talents that began as a young child have grown into a career. She is a professional photographer and graphics designer. Please check out some work samples at www.rscreativedesigns.com. One of her recent projects is my favorite. She drew free handed on a 30 foot wall at the church. The wall words fill most of the wall. Amazing that she can draw or computer sketch anything.

Today my daughter turn 23. Where did the time go? It seems only yesterday I was singing "Redonia is coming today today today, Redonia is coming today." Redonia has brought much excitement to our home from birth to roof top experiences to early reading to amazing talents to having 20 something carwrecks to lots of clean your room moments to looking at her in awe of her love for others to watching her gracefully glide by in a crowd to many late night talks to bungee jumping to flipping out when she told us she had a tatoo (really she didn't she just used a sticker in the tanning bed to mark the tan) to watching her be filled with the Holy Ghost to watching her direct the children's choir for the first time to watching her get angry that she was billing her time for $75 an hour as a graphics designer for a small company to deciding to begin her own business to watching her love her brother like a twin to watching her introduce Calah to Trent only to then turn on Calah because she didn't want her brother marrying to watching Calah now be in Redonia's own words a person I can tell everything to even more than me, her Dad, or her brother.

I love to shop for her because she wears her clothes so beautiful. She is easily pleased. She doesn't demand the finest but rather makes everything look fine. She has near perfect posture and that coupled with her radiant beauty is often asked if she attended modeling school. While in NYC she was stopped numerous times because people thought she was movie star. While she isn't a movie star Redonia is a radiant shining star. I love her so much!

Join me in wishing our miracle, Redonia Leigh, a happy 23rd birthday!