Happy Birthday Kayla

Because Kayla (as well as Noah and Mckenna) is a big part of Ayden Jane's adventure, I think this post applies. Kayla has made a big impression on AJ and as you will read, AJ has had an impression on Kayla.

First of all, my Kayla. She is 17 today and entering her senior year of high school. She is very bright and a true student as well. As a teacher I found it a rare combination in a student to have both brains to get away without studying, and the drive to study anyway just because you are driven to learn. That's my Kayla. Even before Ayden Jane, she was headed for medical research. We have dear friends who headed down the path of another, more rare and more medically complicated rare genetic disorder with their son. He is a miracle and Kayla was drawn to all they were doing for him. We even went and stayed at the Ronald McDonald House to give his mom a break when he was undergoing bone marrow transplant. That sealed it. Seeing the hospital and hearing about all they were doing for him, she was hooked. Then came our journey with Ayden Jane.

Now she is looking into college. She has lots of opportunities and we are hoping to find the magic balance of quality school, place she is excited about and good scholarship to make it affordable. So what is she interested in going into? Genetics. She has listened to me talk about gene expression, was the wall for me to talk to as I try to understand SnoRNA... and her eyes don't even glaze over. Now I don't think she has any grand desire to cure PWS per se, but I'd take it! (Well, I am sort of hoping that one will be well on its way by the time she would get through with school anyway.)

It is strange being a parent at this stage. I think of Kayla so clearly as the little girl with the bright blue eyes and big grin that could crawl like lightening, or the slightly neurotic 5 year old who started her day with "what is the plan today" because she really needed to know, or the somewhat shy middle schooler who was every bodies friend because she was the antidrama (pretty sure her brain was just too busy subconsciously solving algorithms), or... but she has become a beautiful, brilliant young woman who knows and loves God and has a big heart for those who have a battle to conquer and the drive to hang tough and find solutions. I don't know what I thought she would grow into when she was tiny, but I cannot think of anything I could possibly be more proud of.

So, Happy Birthday Kayla. Thanks for 17 great years! You have already been such a blessing. Here is a picture of Kayla from her mission trip to Guatemala. I won't be surprised to hear about many medical missions trips over her lifetime.