Happy Birthday, Violet!

I have been trying for a half-hour to post a picture of my first-born. Oh, well, problems with Blogger come with the territory, don't they?

So, you don't get a photo. But my darling Violet is celebrating her 31st birthday today. That sounds so weird, like *I* should be 31 instead. But the phenomenon of Time Marching On is a well-known one, so I'll deal with it.

Violet was a Diva back when the word still referred to an opera singer. At four, many people referred to her as Shirley Temple. Precocious and cute. She decided she wanted to be an actress.

I received two calls one day about Violet. The "new" Anne of Green Gables movie had come out on PBS. I hadn't even seen it yet. One of the calls was from my mother-in-law: "I just saw Violet on tv." Went on to tell me about this character Anne-with-an-E. Cool, I'll have to watch it, I said. Later that day, my sister called from Arizona: "I just saw Violet on tv." How funny, I thought, that two people used exactly the same words about Violet. So when it came on again, we were sure to watch. This began a life-long passion for Everything Anne in my daughter. She devoured the books. I made her an Anne outfit that she wore umpteen times, including to my parents' 50th anniversary party. She read LMM's journals. She even did her Master's thesis on Anne. She's been to the Island twice, and it is always on her current To-Do list. She's the Kindred Spirits' kindred spirit.

She loved Big Band music. She went through an extensive Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables stage. She is the most widely-read and eclectic (is that the same thing?) reader I have ever met. One day, as a teenager, she came home from the library. Among her twenty or so books: Biography of Maggie Thatcher. Teen romance from the '50's. History of Indonesia. (she just thought it looked interesting. My question: why were you standing near the stacks in that part of the library? Do you just spin 'round three times and point, like Pin the Tail on the Donkey?) Teach yourself Serbo-Croatian (with tapes). A large mystery fiction by her then-current favorite author. Book on Japanese film.

She still does that. You can see her opinings on books she has read in her blog, Fine Distraction (see my sidebar). But be prepared: a whole lot of what she says is Over My Head.

She did major in theater in college. Graduated magna cum laude with minors in French, history, and English. Got her master's in English Creative Writing. Has thought about a Ph.D. in history.

God didn't follow my plan and send a husband early in her life. But I guess He knows what He is doing. Right now, she is a dorm Rector for a women's dorm at a prestigious university. (if I tell you that the lyrics to the Fight Song include the words, "wake up the echoes, cheering her name," you may recognize it.) Dear Charming and I met there as students.

She is fun, witty, a wonderful daughter, granddaughter, and sister, and loves the Lord. I am very proud of her accomplishments, but also just as proud of her as a person of character. And ultimately proud to be her Mommy.