22

A few highlights from February 16's of yore per my favorite arbiter of all things true on the 'net, Wikipedia:

• 1804 - U. S. Navy Lieutenant Stephen Decatur led a raid to destroy the captured U S S Philadelphia in Tripoli, denying her use to the Barbary States in the First Barbary War.
• 1977 - Archbishop Janani Luwum of the Church of Uganda, a leading voice against the regime of Idi Amin, was arrested for treason and murdered the next day. (P.S. - for those of you who don't remember, Idi Amin was the maniacally bad, despotic leader of Uganda)
• 1990 - Utah Valley Regional Medical Center hosted the birth of one Our Lady of Awesome.

Yep, it's another birthday here in the Den.  Technically, she's out of the Den, married to Awesome and making an exciting new life, but our oldest daughter, like all of our children will always be a part of the Den.  We could not be more proud of our oldest and the choices she's made.

It hardly seems possible that she was born 22 years ago today.  Her mother and I were ridiculously young, but not Appalachian cousin-marrying young, mind you, when we welcomed our first-born daughter.  She's been a joy to us ever since that snowy day in Provo, UT when she came into our world.  She survived the testing lab of family life that is being the first-born child.  I think it's more than funny that she's majoring in family development. I figure her growing up years, particularly with a dad like me, have proven to be fertile ground for class discussion.  Our first-born continues to thrill us and teach us.  I wouldn't want it any other way.

Happy birthday, Princess.  You may be married but I still get to call you 'Princess.'