Fifty Today

https://derrickjknight.com/2012/06/15/a-girl/ was written in my second month of blogging, and therefore contains no photographs. I do hope readers will follow the link.

Rather appropriately, as I completed this draft today, steady rain fell.

Here is a selection of 50 images from Becky’s life. Accessing the gallery by clicking on any picture will reveal more detailed information about each one.

97 comments

  1. What a sweet series of pictures. Actually, moved me to tears to see Becky’s progression from birth to now. A very happy birthday to Becky! I hope she has some delicious treats to celebrate her special day.

  2. I enjoyed your post in the link Derrick and the family album. Well done for sharing. My own daughter closes in on 40 and I wonder where the years have gone?

  3. What a lovely tribute to your daughter. Fortunate that you have so many photos. My father used to take cine films rather than photos and as I tend to shun the camera, I’d be hard pressed to find many of me.

    1. I am fortunate in that my children came before the digital age – I enjoyed photography at a time when there were no mobile phones turning anyone into a photographer.

  4. A most delightful romp through the life and times of Becky. You are most generous in sharing these, Derrick. I would be remiss if I did not state how much I loved the photographic record of “Becky and donkey”. I couldn’t help but wondering what were they talking about…

  5. Happy birthday, Becky! Seeing all your photos made me think of how L-O-N-G it would take me to create a similar tribute to someone special. Such a series of photos of your life would be an actual treasure to receive. <3

  6. what a beautiful tribute to your daughter, Derrick! happy birthday to Becky! i enjoyed this series very much. thank you for sharing! 🙂

  7. Happy Birthday and best wishes to Becky. It is a Russian tradition to wish Happy Children’s Birthday to parents (it’s their fault, after all), so I am also wishing Happy Becky’s Birthday to Jackie and you, Derrick. You should derive much happiness from the birthday girl, as well as all your children and grandchildren.

  8. Now I understand why you were drafting the post the day before – what a marvellous tribute to your daughter. Seeing all those happy faces calls for a tribute to you and Jackie for helping to provide such joy in the lives of your children. Congratulations all round!

  9. What a wonderful present for Becky and for us, too! I loved watching her grow up before my eyes. And the donkey photo is priceless. Happy birthday, Becky! Welcome to the 50’s club.

  10. Happy Birthday to beautiful Becky!!! I wish her a beautiful day! 🙂 I will do something to celebrate her! 🙂
    This is a wonderful photo tribute to honor her, Derrick!!!

    OH! And a Happy Birth Day to her Mum and Dad, too! 😉 😀 You two did “all the work”. 😉 😀
    Birthday HUGS!!! 🙂

      1. I must say…you and Jackie don’t look old enough to have a 50 year old child. 😉

        When my oldest turned 40 I teased him and told him I couldn’t claim him anymore as he was w-a-y too old. Ha! Don’t feel bad for him…he’s used to my teasing and he teases me back! 😉 😀 😛

  11. Jackie and I both bore our first daughters in 1970 – it seems a mere decade or two ago at times doesn’t it. This wonderful selection of photos is a treat. I took my time browsing through them all and am struck by how well your extended family nurtures love and companionship amongst the various children. That is a real gift. It was also a treat to read of Becky’s birth and her mum’s joy.

    My own story is that though I publicly proclaimed ‘I didn’t mind’ what gender my baby was I was secretly worried I would find myself mothering a hoard of boys as my husband was one of four boys and zero girls. As Joanna was born after a three day labour I exhaustedly viewed the umbilical cord dangling between her legs as a male appendage and apparently announced in a disappointed tone that I had a boy. The midwife hooked her finger around the cord and encouraged me to ‘Have another look’ and, like Jackie, I was over the moon ecstatic. It’s never waned.

    1. Jackie smiled and laughed all through my reading aloud of this, Pauline. Such pleasing similarities. Thank you for this, especially the recognition of the children’s closeness.

  12. What a delightful treat! I thoroughly enjoyed perusing your family photos, especially seeing you and Jackie in the 70s. Best thing I’ve seen all day!

  13. It’s like time-lapse movie depicting the march of your chubby child into womanhood. It’s impossible to pick a favourite, but Jackie and Becky 23.04.70 005 is an eternal classic.

  14. Happy birthday to Becky ? A lovely set of photos and the linked-to post I enjoyed very much too. I too was convinced I wanted a fifth boy, I completely understand Jackie’s reaction to finding out she had a daughter. My dad got my name right on my birth certificate (also Rebecca) but, from sheer tiredness, accidentally got the one for children without known fathers (quite a feat considering he was there in person registering his daughter) and had to go back and get the right one ?

  15. I love these photographs and I enjoyed reading the previous post about Becky’s life. How I wish I taken more photographs of my children as they were growing up.

    By coincidence it was my second daughter Louisa’s birthday yesterday too, she was a reluctant 47. her day was spent baking cakes with her two little girls who were finally born to her in her forties.

  16. What wonderful photos and remembrances, Derrick and Jackie! I love the phrase from your earlier post, “I still retain the image of that chubby, sleepy, head, with eyes clenched shut like a dormouse having been disturbed from hibernation”. The photo of Jackie and baby Becky is especially beautiful. Happy 50th to Becky!

  17. Such a loving tribute to your beautiful girl. Loved seeing her life in 50 pictures. Happy birthday, Becky!

    I read the earlier post & was interested that you mention that Jackie’s smile lights up the world, or some such comment. It is something I have always noticed.

    1. You will see on the next post that we dined with them, Lisa. As we arrived at the restaurant they were driving past. I saw Becky’s amazed expression as she said to Ian “there’s my Mum and Dad!” “Really?”, was his reply. Thanks very much.

  18. Wonderful photo collage of a life well lived so far, with obviously much vigor and purpose for living another 50 years! Happy Birthday, Becky!! God bless you! Thanks, Derrick, for sharing these wonderful photos. I loved seeing your family through the years!

  19. Unfortunately, from my phone I don’t seem to be able to access the gallery but never mind. Thank you for sharing your memories of Becky over her first fifty years.

  20. Happy belated 50 to Rebekah! I have read the older link. A thunderstorm girl, what a great start she had. You are such a wonderful family.

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