Sixteen years ago, after 72 hours of labor, (yes, you read that correctly, 72 hours), the following statement was declared by a doctor: "It's a GIRL!! Oh my goodness!! She looks like DAD!!" And that was the beginning of many proud moments of this wonderful life of Ashlyn Michele Koonce!
It is hard to believe that sixteen years have passed so quickly. I actually saved my calendar reading of December 14, 1994. It read, "Life will sometimes hand you a magical moment. Savor it." And that we have tried to do. I have so many memories of a little blonde-headed, blue-eyed, sweet girl running about, always trying to please everyone. Ashlyn has been, by far, the most incredible child, now young woman, to raise. Her even keeled temperament is refreshing for this high-strung momma. Her contemplative thoughts run deep. Her gracious and giving spirit often goes unnoticed because she wants absolutely no recognition to come her way. Her gentle smile and listening ear brings a peace to those who know her.
Many people have told us that we really were not parents. Ashlyn has always been compliant, obedient, respectful, and full of grace. She is the child that put herself in the "time out" chair and was completely remorseful and crying because she had disobeyed me. Her quiet nature always had me "checking" on her, only to find her curled up with a book or drawing in her sketch book. Even today, this is how I find her, although in addition to her books and sketchbooks, she also chooses a book in the form of "Facebook" or she is on her phone texting away or sometimes she is doing all of these things while watching YouTube videos and listening to her iPod. Ashlyn has that knack to succeed in most everything she tries. This is mostly because of the attitude in which she approaches life. She makes whole-hearted attempts at everything. She puts her all into absolutely everything she does from every Chemistry and Math problem to all of her English compositions, from her piano and flute playing to her golf swing and her art sketches. She puts forth her best. She often runs herself ragged because her "best" often gets the "worst" of her! It is not many parents that have to tell their children, "Let it be! Quit over-achieving!"
If I were not Ashlyn's mother, I would count it an honor to be one of her friends. (We are great friends, but in a special mother-daughter relationship). She is positive and uplifting. She is one of those girls who you call when you have had a bad day and she will listen to you and offer an encouraging word that melts the cares of the world away. I have been with her on the golf course when she is playing an opposing team. She compliments the opponent on their shots, and after a round of golf, the opponent often speaks of their enjoyment of that particular game and the stress they did NOT feel all because Ashlyn was their opponent and they enjoyed playing with her because of her compliments and attitude. Maybe this is not the best strategy on the golf course, but certainly it is a great strategy for life. Ashlyn is an incredible listener and does not often talk much about herself or her troubles. (Which the "not talking" sometimes troubles this talkative momma!) However, when she does speak, her wisdom is great, full of conviction, and full of compassion.
Ashlyn also has an incredibly funny and very witty sense of humor. She does not let it out much, but when she does, you find yourself rolling on the floor with tears streaming down your cheeks. One time, this rather high-strung momma was having a moment of insanity. I had been going about life in a very non-combative manner when I spotted something that I had distinctively remembered giving instructions about a previous 865 times!! It set me off and I started spewing instructions for the 866th time in a voice that was not calm, reflective, or at all nice. Ashlyn waited for a pause and then said, very respectfully, "You are like a dang crow! You are fine, then all of a sudden, "CA-CAW!! CA-CAW!" I looked at her then, burst into laughter! She was absolutely right!! And now we have a joke and I sign all of my notes to her ":>mom"
Ashlyn has had to endure quite a bit in her short 16 years of life. She has lived in 5 states and 2 countries. She has endured her daddy being deployed 4 times and her house burning down. She has been in public school and has been home schooled. She has been an only child for almost 13 years and then a big sister to her polar opposite for 3 years. She knows we will move yet again in a mere 7 months. And she knows that she has but a mere 2 years before she graduates (this, she is celebrating, a little too much right now, for this momma!)
Ashlyn is extremely conscientious about all things in her life. She worries too much about grades and responsibilities (worrying...why did she have to inherit that gene from me?!?) Her grades are INCREDIBLE!! Her lowest grade is a 94 in Honors English, which she says, "Bums me out because it is my favorite class." She has a 97 in Band, a 101 in Honors Chemistry and a 109 in Spanish!! Yes, those are her final grades for the subjects. She is exempting out of all of her finals and this means she does not have to go to school the last two days of the semester! She said, "There are benefits to "work before play!" She has SAT vocabulary prep words delivered to her email...something she set up. She is such a long range planner that she has already been looking at colleges and universities and she knows what she wants to study...Forensic Science.
So, if it sounds as if I'm bragging, I am. I think I have the right, I am one proud momma of a very beautiful, very wonderful, sixteen year old!! Ashlyn has brought David and I so much joy and happiness. She made us a momma and a daddy. As I tell her all the time, "YOU make ME Special!" And it is true, she made me a momma and that makes me special! All because of her! But really all because of God. God knew that we would need Ashlyn. He knew I would need her precious, sweet personality to calm this anxious, overbearing, worry wart momma. He knew that David would need a little girl that would wrap him so tightly around her finger that he is having a hard time letting go. God knew that the doctor would be absolutely correct in his statement of "she looks like dad" because she looks like her daddy not only on the outside (except much prettier), but really from the inside and that being her incredible heart.
God knew that He would give us this precious little girl because we were far from Him and through her, He would gently call us back to Himself. We have so learned of the love of the Father because we have been given the incredible opportunity to be parents. We had to learn more about Him in order to teach her. We have experienced a well spring of love that caused us to look to Him to find the Source. So in raising Ashlyn, we have learned about the love God has for each one of us that He showed when He gave us Jesus. And in turn we showed her Jesus and Ashlyn, in turn loves Him with all of her heart. Amazing the love the Father has showered upon us!
