Tuesday, August 19, 2008

A Birthday Guest Post

Hello, Heart Cries Readers!

**This is Laura, a friend of Rebekah's, and I got her permission to guest post on this most special of days. The occasion? Rebekah's BIRTHDAY! Here are a few of my thoughts on what makes this girly so special. Please share yours in the comments section. Let's see if we can get at least 27 comments posted of well-wishes and reasons why we love Rebekah and Heart Cries..even if we have to post twice. Why 27? Well, that may or may not be the age Rebekah turns today :). I'll never tell! Alright, here are my reasons...go share yours!**
Today is my good, best, longest, most extravagant, most determined, most fashionable, most-beautiful-green-eyes, most-understanding-of-curly-hair friend Rebekah's birthday. The above pic is from a few years ago, and she is even more beautiful today.

This blog, Heart Cries, has drawn many. It chronicles her journey, alongside her husband Ben, to adopt their first child. Their story is beautiful. Everyone who reads, who looks at her pictures, who sees how carefully she documents each step of the process, agrees that Ben and Bekah are the Michael Phelps of a choice for birth parents. Oh, you haven't been glued to the Olympics?! Err...me either. I just, um, heard that Michael Phelps was that swimmer-guy who now holds more gold medals than any other Olympian ever.

Ben and Rebekah are that good.

Rebekah has become this mature, wise, beautiful mom-in-waiting. All she has been through, all she is now navigating through, have changed her for sure. And all the bloggy world gets to see the sparkle. But I'm proud to know her a little bit closer:

*She was my first friend in Sunday school at Christ the King Church in 5th grade.

*She was my constant confidant during all my junior high and high school years. She whispered with me late in the night. We witnessed each other's heart breaks and all the growing-up-isms.

*She was my very favorite roommate during one incredible year at Northern Michigan University. The year in retrospect meant very little to either of us academically and every thing in life experiences. We were nestled in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan the year the town of Marquette broke the record for snow fall! We had "wear your roommate's clothes day". Rebekah was dating Ben, her high school sweetheart, and we again whispered late into the night, this time about when he would pop The Question and which of our college guy friends had any potential for me (none :)!). We built a huge snowman. We loved every minute.

*I stood up in her wedding. She stood up in mine. She watched my first born come into the world.

*We've called each other with every bit of exciting news and been witness to the reality of Who God Is in each other's lives.

*She is beautiful and the real deal that all her readers see.

Happy Birthday, Friend. Enjoy every minute! And, oh, we all cannot wait to celebrate again with all the rises and settles of what this year will hold.

Now it's your turn! Make it big :)! GO...

28 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday, Rebekah! My this next year bring your ultimate happiness!

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  2. Happy Birthday Rebekah!!! I am new to the blog scene and have totally been inspired by your blog. Thanks for sharing so much with us. Hope you have an awesome b-day!!!!

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  3. Happy Birthday!

    I loved reading what your friend wrote...you two def. have something special!

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  4. Have a very wonderful Birthday! I hope your dreams come true in the new "Rebekah Year"!

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  5. Rebekah, Happy Birthday! You are a wedding planning, cake baking, and now a writing extraordinaire. Have an awesome day! We can't wait to see what God brings you and what extrodinary blessings he will give throughout this next year!

    Jill and Carly (enjoying a fun day at Gigglebeans with the kids)

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  6. Hope you have a wonderful birthday and that this year *WONDERFUL* things happen for you! Thank you for sharing your story.
    www.freewebs.com/thedyerbaby

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  7. Happy Birthday my dear friend. You mean the world to us and the girls and we are so excited for what the Lord has for You and Ben this year.

    You are a great friend, sister, and auntie and an incredible inspiration to those around you.

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  8. Happy Birthday! What a sweet friend you have...as for me, I admire your optimistic and enthusiastic attitude toward life...keep it up!

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  9. Happy Birthday Rebekah!! I hope you have a wonderful day. You have been a special friend, an inspiration, and a constant source of light. Thank you so much for being you. I pray that this next year is the one you enter into motherhood!

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  10. Happy birthday Rebekah!!! Though we are only friends in blog world, I love your spirit and your honest words. I've told several people they just HAVE to read Heart Cries!! I wish you fabulous birthday. I hope your wait for your precious child is short and I can't wait to read more about the details of your journey. Happy 27th!!!

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  11. Happy, happy Birthday!!! My, you are a youngin'!! And so wise for your age!
    Make the most of every day that God gives you, not longing for what you may have missed or what you long to be. Rest in knowing that He is knitting the plan of your life in His perfect way and perfect timing!!
    Blessings!

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  12. Happy Birthday, Rebekah!!! Hope you have a very wonderful Birthday!!!! =)

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  13. Why do you deserve the best birthday ever...

    You share your heart with all of us. The sad and the happy times - you let us in.

    Not only that but you inspire each and every one of us to not give up. Your expression of faith is amazing and the encouragement you give means more than you will ever know.

    Happy birthday, I hope it was awesome and Ben out did himself :)

    Oh and that smile...yeah, that alone should reward you with a perfect birthday!!

    (((HUGS)))

    *what a great friend!*

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  14. Happy Happy Birthday! May God bless you and your husband with your utmost dream come true!

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  15. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I'm new to all this blog stuff but I have to say I am so happy I found yours. It's nice to have a positive spin on this "baby battle" part of life. We are slowly struggling through our infertility battle and while DH is not yet at the adoption point I'm the type that likes to see the big picture and think ahead. Your blog gives me hope and inspiration to keep positive no matter what road this takes us. You are a WONDERFUL STRONG woman. May this year bring you those baby dreams you long for.

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  16. Yay for birthdays!! I hope you have a wonderful day! And a year full of blessings.

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  17. Happy Birthday! Rebekah was one of my very first blogger buddies. Her encouragement has been awesome and I can't wait to see the little one that God brings into their lives! Rock on! (that's for Ben...)

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  18. Happy Birthday Rebekah. I expect this year will be a special one for you.

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  19. I'm honored to add to the comments, Happy Birthday! It blesses me that you have such a wonderful friendship. Never let life's busy-ness separate you for too long.

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  20. Here's to many more years of pizza and mashed potatos

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  21. Rebekah! I admire your strength and tenacity. I admire your drive to accomplish every goal you set. I love that you are an encourager and that you flat out do not compromise. I love that you are Spirit led and Spirit following!

    You inspire me to be better than I am and I truly love you!
    Happy birthday! (Even though it is a day late...I know you actually celebrate your BirthWEEK and not just your BirthDAY! So I think I am safe!

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  22. I'm a day late, I'm sorry! But I wanted to tell you Happy Birthday and how much I appreciate your openess and positive attitude. I hope we're both moms very soon!

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  23. Oh! Day late and a dollar short...here's to "making 27 comments"....

    Happy Birthday Big Sister....for all the great life stories and memories you've helped me make...

    Like, the time when we were 4 and 6 (respectively) and we had a breaking-bottles contest in the neighborhood park. Yeah, that was a smashing good time!!!!- until we got our booties whup'd for being a bunch of hoodlums!...

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  24. ...Or how 'bout the time we ate (not some) but ALL of Andrew's "potty" candy and I graciously followed your advise of "DON'T TELL MOM & DAD!" Yeah...until YOU told them the truth, I lied...and for doing such, again got my bootie whoop'd for being such a hoodlum. That turned out well...

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  25. Or then there was the time that we both got banished to our bedrooms for doing who-knows-what (boy, we WERE a bunch of hoodlums), and we came up with the "paint can system of communication"...(genius!) I remember secretly thinking as we passed notes and candies back and forth out the window danged by a string in that can, that I was glad we were in trouble...and glad you were my sister...because hurling a can out the window to two stories below was so much more fun than anything we were doing before anyway!...

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  26. I love you because at 16 you drove your car through the garage door for no particular good reason...(I know I wasn't exactly apart of that memory, but I had to throw it in for good measure....Hilarious!)

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  27. I love that every year that goes by, the closer friends we become. I love that you were there during my darkest days of returning home from California (even when I was a JERK) and in my brightest moment when baby Nya first took her breath. I love that you're going to make me an auntie soon...

    Here's to a Happy 27th!

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  28. Rebekah, I am so sorry, I completely missed your birthday! Lilli has keeping me busy and I barely can catch up on all the blogs.

    Happy belated birthday! You are a truly beautiful person - inside and out!!!

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