Happy Birthday, Katrina!

Today our granddaughter, Katrina Lindmark, is celebrating her 13th birthday. On that day, 13 years ago, I was working as a waitress at Kreider Dairy Farm Restaurant. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning we received a call from Sweden that Miki was in labor. I went to work and waited and prayed and waited and prayed and waited and prayed. I remember how I would be walking food to tables, breathing prayers to PLEASE give Miki strength and endurance. It seemed like a VERY long morning. Finally sometime after lunch there was a phone call for me. I literally RAN to the office and was so, so delighted to learn that little Katrina Annette Lindmark had entered the world.

That was before the world of internet and email, so it took a while until we actually saw a picture of her. The first we saw her was that Christmas when they came here for several weeks. What FUN we had with her at five months of age. We borrowed a video camera and got LOTS of footage that I still enjoy watching.

Sometime after that I wrote a song for her. (I think I intended that I would write a song for each grandchild. I guess I have some catching up to do.) I'm going to be brave and write the lyrics below.

A SONG FOR KATRINA (by Jean Stauffer, Jan. 1994)

Oh, Katrina, grandchild of my heart,
Listen to this story right from the start.
How God brought about His plan for a woman and a man
To meet, to love, to marry, to bring into this world
A little bit of sunshine, a precious little girl.

Long ago in America another precious girl
Was confused and abused and on her own, with no one to care.
But God looked down with compassion and gave her a new home.
He brought her to our family and lifted her despair.

Long ago in Sweden there was a precious boy.
His daddy's death just broke his heart, he needed someone to care.
But God became his father and gave him a reason to live.
This boy became a strong young man with convictions that were rare.

The girl became a young lady with a desire to serve the Lord.
There was a call from Sweden, and she answered it with a team called YES.
The very first day she met the young man, and as the months passed by,
They both felt another call from God, and they answered with another YES!

The young lady returned to America, the young man followed suit.
We met our future son-in-law and we loved him from the start.
They had a lovely wedding, then to Sweden they returned.
Two years later you were born to them and brought joy to all our hearts.

As you grow older, Katrina, I want you to know,
There's a loving God in heaven with a plan for you - He really cares.
As you have heard, He did great things just to bring you to life.
You must be a very special child in answer to our prayers.

Oh, Katrina, grandchild of my heart.
I will always love you, our souls will never part.