HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMY!

 Our little Amy-Daisy, Blondie-Bear turned 23 today.  How

 did that happen?

Golden hair, bright eyes, and a winning smile, Amy was a styrofoam child, small and thin.  When she was two or three, we had to keep a close watch on her while she was outside because buzzards had been attacking small animals and could lift up to nineteen pounds, and Amy did not reach that limit.

She can march to the beat of a different drummer.  One year, the top spot on her Christmas list was for a 3-hole punch.  She was really into office equipment.

Amy is a water child.  She loves swimming.  She is also a great sleeper.  We have a photo of her with her head by the side of a boat during rough water, fast asleep, when she was in Sea Scouts.

She makes fantastic shirts and uses her artistic abilities to the utmost.

She loves animals, especially her gigantic "puppy."  And her snake.  And her cats.  And the senile pug.  For a number of years, she was an animal shelter volunteer.  When she was younger, she made friends with a tiny spider, "Spidey," that lived in a corner of her bedroom.  That last  bit makes me doubt she is related to me because the only thing a spider needs is a flamethrower.

This morning a pod of dolphins appeared at the beach to celebrate Amy.

Amy has a wicked, genuine sense of humor.  She is never cruel.  She is empathetic and caring.  Her turn-offs are injustice and meanness.  Amy is the epitome of a good person.

She gives blood.

Did I mention that she's amazingly beautiful?  (Of course, all three of my granddaughters are.)

And she's whip-smart.  Far smarter than I.

She is our most perfect granddaughter.  (Of course, all three of my granddaughters is the most perfect -- each one being more perfect than the others.)

She makes us happy.  She makes us proud.  She especially makes us glad to share this wonderful world with her, a world that would be far less wonderful without her.

We love you so much, Amy.  Have a fantastic birthday and a fantastic year!