Who doesn’t love a fiery little redhead? Eyes green as coke bottle glass, long fingers, long legs, long hair. She is stunning and cunning and ornery and sweet. 

This particular red-head came to me fourteen years ago. She was a surprise. I had my hands full and my heart webbed with cracks. God must have thought I need a diversion. She has provided that, always.

She is fearless and bold. She does the most terrible and amazing things. I don’t know whether to spank her or hug her most of the time. She tickles everyone around her. Sometimes I wonder if she isn’t really an old soul living in that pretty little self. She keeps everyone guessing as to what is coming next. I never know.

Rats, snakes, moles, mice, fish, lizards, newborn kittens and flea bitten dogs with no where to go…all of these have been presents at one time. The worst were the HUGE rat with the broken leg she had shoved into a red solo cup so she could come and show me the poor thing and the Copperhead snake she ran over with her mule, then stuffed in a ziplock bag for me to admire.

She’s hell on boys and she skips around the girls. She lost her best friend and is in no hurry to replace her. That would be disloyal, and she is anything but. There will be a hole there until she chooses to smooth it over and take a chance with someone else. And maybe she never will. It’s her prerogative.  She won’t be rushed or pushed.

I love this little strawberry more than I can ever explain. She grows more wise every day and she is moving up and branching out. Leaving me behind one smile at a time. I will mourn that day when it comes. I am blessed to be able to mourn, I know.

This is my Bellicious. She loves frogs and jumping and cute boys and fishing in the dark, anxiously waiting on what lurks just beneath the boat. She loves her sister and worships her brothers and tolerates the rest of us buzzing around her. She needs room to fly. Get out of her way. Be really quiet and maybe you can sneak along behind her. You’ll have the greatest adventure ever.