Happy Birthday, Mrs. Abby Rucker Ivester!

Happy 26th Birthday, sweet Ab!

Cady is thinking . . . "what's that thing on mommy's head?"

Dear Abby,

In 1982, I had two boys and had my hands full with boyish activities. Dad had been bugging me about having a third child. At that time, Chad was 7 and Mark was 4 1/2. Remember how perfect a baby I said that Chad was? Well, then I had a baby named Mark. HA. (Just wait until his December birthday and I'll tell ya all about him.) But by now, I had decided, yes, I really did want another child. Deep inside I really, really, really wanted a girl, but I didn't dare speak those words because it might seem that I was disappointed if I had a boy. In the fall of 1982, while traveling back from a mountain camping trip, I felt queasy and I knew w/o a shadow of a doubt that I was pregnant. Somehow, I had certain "feelings" three times in my life and that's when I was early in pregnancies. Hallelujah, I was gonna have a June baby.

You were due on your Dad's birthday, June 16. That night we were at Mimi's for Dad's birthday. I thought I was in early labor so I chose not to eat. I didn't want to freak out Mimi and Pappy (especially Pappy) so we were very low-key about the labor. When we arrived home, Aunt Jane was all ready to spend the night with your brothers. Around 8:30 or 9:00, our preacher, Rev. Freeland, knocked on the door. He was making a random visit. He had no earthly idea that we were packing for the hospital. I wasn't in painful labor, but it was progressing. After we made small talk, one of us casually mentioned that we were on our way to the hospital. Rev. Freeland jumped up and got excited. He immediately prayed for us before leaving. Sweet. Then we headed to Greenville Memorial. You were among some of the first babies to be born at this new hospital. I was excited to not have to go back to that dilapidated Greenville General Hospital.

I just knew that I was about to give birth to another boy and I was absolutely fine with that. I carried you just like I carried Chad & Mark. Every time I went for a doctor's visit, they'd listen to the heart and say, "It's a boy's heartbeat." (No ultrasounds in those days unless a problem was suspected.) Even in the hospital the nurses said that you were a boy. Dr. Gower delivered you. He was fantastic. That night was a very slow night for baby births. Dr. Gower and Daddy watched a Braves game and had a grand ole time. Thank goodness I had an epidural. My new best friend! No pain and lots of excitement. It was a party-like atmosphere. Even as you were being delivered, Dr. Gower said, "Look at those shoulders . . . surely, it's a boy." (I like to think that you have model shoulders.) Then Dr. Gower said, "Well, my goodness, it's a girl." I completely busted out crying. I was so happy and thrilled that I had a baby girl. Dr. Gower said, "You're crying . . . do you want me to put her back?" What a fun night. You were born at 1:58 a.m. You missed your Dad's birthday by 1 hour and 58 minutes. I think that you just didn't want to share that special day with anyone. And to this day, birthdays are so special to you, right?

I found the list that I made with baby names. The boy was definitely Jacob Timothy Rucker, nicknamed Jake. Chad, Mark & Jake . . . perfect. But now, we had to come up with a girl's name. Daddy actually mentioned "Abby". I loved it. Then we both loved the name Elizabeth. And when we looked up the meanings, we were so excited. Abby means "genuine joy" and Elizabeth means "for God". We knew that our Abby would be a genuine joy and live for God. We were right!

You were such a great baby and very happy. You drew a crowd at the grocery store and church and wherever we took you. You were a people-person and you still are. I really enjoyed dressing you up. You wore a bonnet and frills every Sunday for the first year of your life. You didn't have much hair and I wanted you to look like a girl. Chad & Mark were so sweet to you . . . well, Mark was nice to you for about 2 years. And I don't have to explain to you any details . . . it's engraved in your memory for all of eternity. Aren't you glad he likes you now? Both of your brothers and sisters-in-law love you so much. I'm so thankful that our family gets along so great.

Here are some pictures as we continue to walk down memory lane:

This is the day you came home in that pink draw-string gown.

Chad is 8 and Mark is 5 1/2 years old.

All smiles!

See that darn ole "infant carrier" that now I realize was not safe!


Such a sweet baby!
Notice the "baby walker". So antiquated compared to the "exer-saucer".

Bathing Beauty

One of the dresses I smocked.
Cady & Brie will have to wear your old ones because I hate to sew!

Can you tell that you had some influences by having two brothers?

They dressed you up and it was hilarious!

Here you are at one.

Does Tupperware still make those sippy cups? I have cups but no lids.

At Mimi's at age 5. Remember that I recently found that doll?

Family . . . remember Mimi's sofa that was so hard that it felt like it was really an upholstered cement block?

Styling and profiling at age 7.
Your posing cracks me up. What were you looking at? The future?

Speed forward to 2009. You have married the guy of your dreams and you have a daughter of your own. Now that Cady is here, I really was pulling for you to have a little girl. I wanted you to have the joy of raising your future best friend. And I would have the joy of loving my little granddaughter just like the original Mimi loved you so much.

You are my best friend. We are so much alike that it's kinda scary. We think alike. We act alike. We can get very silly and stupid at times. We both laugh at things that aren't even very funny. We cry easily at dumb, sappy movies. I love that you have such a tender heart and caring spirit. Sometimes, I really feel like you are MY role model. You are a terrific wife and mother. You are the best kind of friend anyone could ask for. You love the Lord and aren't ashamed to tell anyone. You have a soft heart for underdogs. Many, many times I have seen you go directly to someone that others ignored. God gave you a sincere love for others. I know that you have a desire to visit Africa or another foreign country on a mission trip some day. I know that this is yet another gift that God gave you. I'm praying that you can make that trip when the time is right.

I hope that today has been great and I hope the rest of the day continues to be wonderful. I love my Ab. You are my BFF.