The Ninth Family Birthday of the Year

Marnie is our eldest grandchild and today is her eighteenth birthday. She passed her driving test a few days ago – possibly the best present she could receive. Now she can – and does – drive herself and her younger sister to College in Weymouth.

Marnie has decided on Midwifery as her chosen career – I can’t think of anyone better qualified to attend a woman in labour. She is calm, practical, aware, unflappable – a great person to have around in a crisis. She has a strong, earthy sense of humour and is frequently reduced to fits of laughter but is also sensitive and empathetic.

As the ‘oldest cousin’ of six in our family(so far) she has presence and authority but, still young, occasionally clashes with her younger siblings, who are treading close on her heels. We have watched her grow from a small, strong-minded baby to an active toddler, a sometimes trying schoolgirl and now a blossoming adult, confident and fun to be with. It is difficult to spend time with her and not be drawn into her world. She is very lively in the mornings, like her mother (Gillian) and grandfather(Barry) is enthusiastic  and irrepressible(ditto)  but sometimes overreaches herself and falls prey to exhaustion (ditto)

Marnie is a natural athlete, performing well in all fields but sadly constrained by osteochondritis or osteochondrosis of the shoulder which frustrates her. She had an operation to remove a non-malignant bone tumour a few years ago but faces another because further bone growth has occurred, causing her pain and frequent dislocation. This condition has limited her ability to participate in the activities she loves – water sports, gymnastics, dance. Most of the time Marnie copes well with this condition but when she’s over-tired the pain it causes can get the better of her. She dreads the thought of another long operation but knows it is inevitable.

Eighteen, with a loving family and good friends, in love (as 18-year-olds often are) full of plans for the future, Marnie is happy, effervescent, irrepressible. Gillian and Paul should be very proud of their elder daughter and oldest child, though she is a young adultJ, no longer quite a child (though all parents understand that children are always children, no matter their age) - they have done a good job and continue to do so.

Happy Birthday, Marnie – we love youJ