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Dressed in Kimono for her dance
performance at kintergarten.
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Victoria during her seventh birthday party.
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Victoria has matured into a kind,
understanding and beautiful woman.

Yesterday, Facebook reminded me that my daughter Victoria's graduation was three years ago. Time passed so fast and in December this year, she will be 27 years old.

When she stepped on stage to receive her degree, she looked so beautiful in her gown. Her smile was radiant as she waved to her friends and family. It was a moment full of pride, joy, and love that I will always treasure in my heart.

My oldest son Jonathan is autistic. There is an age gap of five years between Victoria and Jonathan. My wife Roselind and I were initially petrified that Victoria will also be autistic. We were so relieved that Victoria met all developmental milestones and was a happy and normal baby. Victoria has brought so much joy into our lives. She helped to ease the pain and suffering we had to go through raising an autistic son. We were able to forge a strong bond with her and do so many things that we were unable to do with Jonathan. Her mere presence was like a breath of fresh air and made our lives more bearable. To this day, Victoria is a constant reminder that whilst we may have an autistic son, God has blessed us in many other areas of our lives and for that, we are most grateful.

Growing up with an elder autistic brother is not easy for Victoria. Even at a young age, she constantly puts her brother and his needs first. In many ways, she is like an older sister to Jonathan. This has brought out the best in her. I am so proud of the woman that my baby girl has become today: kind, intelligent, independent and beautiful inside out! My message for her is to dare to dream big because you can go far! Daddy will always be there for you!

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Beautiful And Sublime Sunday

The Beautiful Sunday Challenge is started by Hive account@ace108 while the Sublime Sunday Challenge is started by Hive account@c0ff33a. While you can write on any topic, it must be posted on a Sunday.