Edie Grace, our daughter, is 18 today. After 12 years of marriage, on our twelfth anniversary actually, we learned that God was granting our prayers for a child.

From that day, until now, Edie Grace has been our greatest blessing. Our hearts are overflowing by what a beautiful, compassionate, giving, smart young women she has become. Today, she gets her class C drivers license {from 16-18 you have a driving curfew and some other limitations.) She also finally gets to register to vote! Two things she has been looking forward to for years!

Seventeen years ago on her first birthday a wonderful friend, Diane DeLoach, gave us a “time capsule” to be filled with notes, gifts and items from her first birthday. The capsule was to be sealed and opened on her 18th.

We reached out to family members and close friends to help us fill the capsule and put it away. Lori and I were equally as excited to go through the capsule with her as Edie Grace was to explore it.

Inside we also included the guest list to her first birthday party and notes and cards she was given on her first birthday. Several of the people who contributed are no longer with us. This was powerful, seeing their writings and well wishes for Edie Grace.

Happy 18th Edie Grace!!
We can’t wait to watch what God has in store for you over the next 18!!!

One of the most touching items in the capsule was a birthstone ring that her now 95 years old namesake great-grandmother, Edith Hutchison, purchased for her and included in the capsule. When she purchased it, she was 78 and never imagined she would live to see her open the gift. Not only is she here, I think most days she is in better health than all of us. The most miraculous thing about this, was the ring fit perfectly. Here is the touching video of her opening the note from “Memaw Edith” with her watching and interacting as Edie Grace opened the gift:

Here are a few of the highlights from the capsule: