Before you were born you made you presence known by sitting on your mother's nerve.  Her leg would suddenly jerk out as you pushed down on that nerve.

You did not want to leave that snug place.  After 20 hours in the hospital the doctor decided it was time for you to emerge.  He promised you would be a July baby.  You were officially born at 1am on August 1st.  Had you waited another day, you would have shared a birthday with your grandma Wallace.  Perhaps you had reason to wait. 

You were born looking up to the heavens, eyes wide open, absorbing all you could see.  From that day on, you have had a hunger for knowledge, always asking questions, always seeking, always sharing.

Just before your third birthday you received a little sister - something to play with, you thought.  Then two years later you said "Oh, goody!  Another one to play with!"  You encouraged both your sisters to try out things - just so that you knew that they were okay to try out yourself.... like climbing the tree, or asking Dad for certain things.  It was like you were doing things by remote control.

When you were five you planted sunflower seeds - which when they were fully grown you had to climb a ladder to view the flowers.  They were that high.  You joined Girl Guides at the Pippin level and progressed through Brownies, Guides and Rangers, achieving as you went.  You enjoyed any activity that came your way.

As you matured you learnt to avoid some jobs.  You managed to burn a pot of water... so you got out of cooking dinner.  You never cleaned up after baking cakes, so we didn't ask you to bake.  Actually you are a great little cook! 

Neatness wasn't your thing!  The time could be better used exploring the universe, or fixing the C drive on the computer, or hooking up a new phone line.  You loved exploring the interior of the dams on the power scheme (until the day you meet a possum at eye level), or sitting in the control room for all of New Zealand's power supply chatting away to the operators. The back yard became a world in itself - you could be driving a space ship or chatting to a fairy.

Your love of music had you playing first of all the flute, followed by piano.  Not content with that you also learnt cello, saxophone, double bass and a number other of instruments - You were a real entertainer!  You played in many orchestras, and today play cello in your city orchestra.

And you always had lots of friends who came to our house.  Often they would stay a night or two whenever they needed to, enriching our lives too.

You have taken your love of knowledge and computers and studied well.  You graduated in 2002, receiving a prize for your efforts.  You now spend your time putting everything together by working in the IT industry, learning more along the way.

You have blessed us by marrying a lovely young man.  Callum is part of our family.  And in the process he has gained two sisters.

I am proud of you, Brenda Rose!