Tegan Elizabeth Cross

When my 6th child was born they told me it was a girl and I thought they were cruel to tease me. After 5 boys I did not believe I got a girl! This pretty little blonde baldy headed creature was a new adventure right from the start! Me, being the athletic/dancer chick, told everyone I would never put my daughter in frilly girlie things and lied like crazy! Because when I got a little girl, everything I put on her had lace and ruffles and it was so much fun! I even made mother-daughter outfits for us and it was pretty pathetic probably!
By the time she was a headstrong 6 year old, her father said to me, what are you going to do with her when she is 14? I said, 'what do you mean, what am I going to do with her?' not realizing by the time Tegan was 10 I would be raising her on my own. Everytime her strong will, stubborn and pushy side came out, I told myself, there must be a reason she is like this. Having no idea what life would do to her, I believed she would have to be strong for some reason.
I had no idea.
Tegan Elizabeth Cross, the divorced mother of Matthew will be 22 years old this Monday. She is a warm-hearted woman who does not see color or gender. She generously welcomes all into her circle. I cannot believe all the things she has been through in her short life, especially in the last month or so. She was in a car wreck that was not her fault at all, which involved at least 3 head injuries and required stitches, since her vehicle was totalled, being hit by 2 other drivers. That incident started a stream of some of the worst things that can happen to a person.
Tegan is strong for a reason; lots of reasons. I am so proud of her and how she is making good decisions for herself and others. My hope is that her life will calm down and give her a moment to recouperate. She is an inspiration to all who know her.