A Birthday to Remember

Jordan's 13th birthday was during our stay in Bar Harbor, and I wanted to do something special.  I got a crazy idea to wake everyone up at 4:00 in the morning and watch the sun rise over Cadillac Mountain.  It made for a birthday morning to remember, that's for sure!

Four a.m. cheerful smiles!

Even though it was my idea, I was having second thoughts the night before.  I was like, "Are you guys sure you want to do this?  Maybe it's not such a good idea."  I'm so glad we did, though!

This is a very popular thing to do on the island because Cadillac Mountain is where the sun first rises in the U.S. for most of the year.  For this reason, the mountain is called "The nation's first sunrise."  However, during summer months it rises over Mars Hill first.  But we were still some of the first people in America to see the sun rise on this day!  To guide traffic, they have officers direct everyone up the mountain.  I would estimate that there were a few hundred people up there, but everyone was dispersed all around so it wasn't crowded.  

When we arrived, the sky was just beginning to light up.  We found a vacant area and settled in for sunrise.

We made for a motley crew with our pajamas and bed hair, but we didn't mind.

I can't believe I get to be her mama.

Of my three children, she is both the most and least like me, depending on what you're talking about.  We call her our hybrid child because she is a perfectly extreme mix of Jeff and I.  She is dynamic and kind of a mystery, and I love watching her grow.

She has always puzzled us with her ability to understand people and situations, and I can see that growing in her still.  She sees intentions, motives, and hidden feelings, which is most unusual for a child, I think!  But the Lord has gifted her to know what people need, even when they aren't saying it.  That aids her in wisdom and discernment.

She is guarded with her heart and doesn't let people in easily.  However, she is fiercely loyal to those who she loves and is hurt deeply when people don't treat her with the same care.  She is intelligent and has a sharp wit, which go hand in hand to make her one of the funniest people I know.  She is a diligent student who excels in anything learning-related (except sciences--don't get her started on science!)  She is a strict rule follower and needs things to be organized.  She always (without fail) makes sure that there are enough chairs available for everyone at meal times.  It's a little thing, but shows that she is always thinking of us.

One-on-one talks fill her love tank and energize her.

She loves the 1950's, Anne of Green Gables, photography, writing, and playing with makeup for fun.  Her favorite foods are Mexican everything, potatoes, and kale.  She'll put mustard on just about anything.  Wonder who she got that from, Lori?!?

To say Jordan is mature is an understatement.  We had to laugh on her birthday because when children get older, parents have a tendency to say something like, "I can't believe my baby is thirteen!"  But with Jordan we said, "Are you really only thirteen?  Seems like you should be seventeen or eighteen by now!"  It has always been that way with Jordan.

I don't know what the Lord has in store for her, but she wants to be a wife and mama more than anything in the world.  She says that if the Lord allows, she'd be happy to have thirty children!  (Spoken like someone who has zero children, I know.  But if anyone can handle that, it's Jordan!)  She so loves little ones.  If that is God's plan for her, I know she will be a treasure to her husband and children one day.  She is a treasure to Jeff and I.

Jeff wanted to check out more of Cadillac Mountain before heading home, so we walked over to this area.  The water reflected the sky so perfectly.

Then we came back home for birthday pancakes!  We tried a whole wheat and lower sugar pancake mix this time.  It was really good!

The kids started "helping" each other with this photo when Meg turned 11 and now it's become a tradition.  Jackson has gotten so big, he had a difficult time cramming himself under the table!  Haha.

We all wanted to rest after breakfast, so that's what we did!  Waking up so early really threw us for a loop and we felt like we had jet lag all day.  Later, we got treats from a bakery in Ellsworth and had a movie night.  It was a nice, relaxing day.

I'm hoping to get to a post about Bar Harbor soon, before I start forgetting details.  Seems like we've been hopping busy lately, though.  We're a week into our time in Cape Cod and next week's schedule is looking pretty full!  The kids and I are hoping to have a day in Boston, and are all very excited about it!  Hopefully our second try in Boston will be smoother than our first!  (If you're a Facebook friend, you know what I'm talking about.  Ack!)