It is fitting that my baby girl, Bubbles, was born on 27 January, the feast day of Angela de Merici.
Angela de Merici was the founder of the Company of St. Ursula, which is dedicated to the service of the Church through the education of girls, as well as taking care of the sick and those in need. Bubbles seems to have been born with these same goals in mind.
Honestly, she is a saintly little girl. So much so that it boggles the mind. I can’t remember EVER having to give her time-out, even when she was a toddler, and the very mildest reprimands were taking to heart almost instantly. She has been the most mature, considerate, and caring child I have ever met … and I have met some wonderful children in my time!
Bubbles is doing great at school, and not just academically. Her teachers have uniformly and universally adored her. Who wouldn’t adore a well-mannered, intelligent girl who follows the rules and plays well with everyone? Teachers have confessed they place the kids with ‘behavioral issues’ near to Bubbles, because she magically influences them to behave better. She is just so sweet that they calm down and they like her so much they want to impress her by being nicer. How amazing is that??
And then there is her instinctive need to be charitable. She told us she wants to learn how to crochet … because she could make things to sell at a booth and raise money for the homeless. Apparently she was pondering how to raise money to help the needy and that’s what she came up with. Sweet Babou and I were moved to tears by her earnestness.
When she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian because she loves animals and “wants to pet every breed of dog at least once”. She was worried it would make her too sad to give the animals shots, but decided that (like a pediatrician) she would have her nurses do it so the animals wouldn’t associate her with needles. I asked her if that would make the nurses sad, and she told me she would pay them a really good salary to make up for it.
Clever boots, no?
Happy Birthday, Bubbles. I don’t how or why I got lucky enough to be your mommy … but I am exceedingly and eternally grateful you are my daughter.
