Happy Birthday Evie

Wasn't it just yesterday I was packing your bag for the hospital, holding those little white and purple booties in my hand?  I sat there lovingly packing your bags, stroking my belly and feeling you move inside me and my eyes welled up with tears with just how much I all ready loved you.  I knew you then, and I hadn't even seen your face yet.

You came out of my tummy and they put you on my chest.  You didn't cry at all.  You just lay there, content staring up at me happy to finally be in my arms.  I will never forget that moment.

Ever since that moment you have brought so much laughter, and joy into this home.  You are a bright light in what can sometimes be a dark world.  This world NEEDED you, and God knew that.  Your name fits you "Bringer of good news"(Evangeline) and "life"(Zoey).

I love the way the sunlight bounces off your white blonde hair, and your big blue eyes sparkle with laughter and joy.  You are so smart, and kind.  You make me laugh like no other.

You love to be outside just like your daddy.  You have the biggest imagination that I've ever seen.  You love food, especially fruit.  When given the choice between candy and cantaloupe, you will choose the cantaloupe.

You love your brother and sisters.  You have a strong sense of family even though you are very young.  That is something that God instilled in you.  You also have this knack for being sensitive to peoples feelings and emotions, something you must have inherited from your Grandmother.

You love tea parties and want to be a doctor when you grow up.  You tell everyone, "When I grow up I'm gonna be a doctor.  A happy doctor."

You have the cutest little sing song voice.  You talk to me like you are an adult and it is really funny, even though some may consider it being precocious...I love it.  It's just further proof of just how smart you really are.

You love Max and Ruby, fruit snacks and your favorite color is pink.  You can't sleep without your purple blanket, and that's ok.   You love princesses but you have yet to sit through an entire princess movie.

You can sometimes be a bit high maintenance, but that is ok.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  You are my Evie and I love you so very much.  I can't believe that you are three today.  I am so privileged to be your mother, and thank God for letting me raise you.  I pray that you grow in His grace and beauty and above all learn to love Him.

5 Years

Today is my five year anniversary with the love of my life.  Part of me feels like I have been with him and known him forever, but the other part of me can't believe how fast five years has flown by.  Every day has been an adventure with him, and I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful husband.

He met me and fell in love with me when I felt like I had been damaged beyond repair.  The last thing that I was looking for was a relationship, he knew that, he respected that and he waited.  We built a foundation on a strong friendship, which I feel is most important and why our marriage works so well.  He is truly my very best friend.

We met in art class at church in the summer of 2004, and on breaks (we were the only two smokers in the class) we would talk with each other.  I then started attending the small group that he did and we got to know each other even more.  Before I knew it we were spending every moment together.   Everyone kept asking what was going on and each of us would reply "we are just friends."  They would give us this "whatever" look.  Everyone else knew it before WE did.  After months of getting to know each other and developing this deep friendship, we started dating, and six weeks later, we were engaged.  Once we admitted to each other how we felt, we couldn't deny that God had brought us together.  We were married April 9th 2005, with all of our friends and family there to watch.

He is smart, he is brilliant, he is hilarious and he has a big heart.  He has the best smile, and these deep brown chocolate eyes.  He LOVES food.  He is strong and firm and a great father and leader of our home.  He is my husband and I'm so thankful for him.

Over the past five years we moved from Arizona to Oklahoma, we have gone to Disneyland twice, we have had a new house, an old house and then found OUR home.  He adopted my two oldest children.  We have gone to Paris (yes Paris France), we have had two more babies.  We have gone camping, gone jet skiing, gone to Texas and Arkansas.  We've spent nights in the ER and survived appendectomies and surgeries, and even survived quitting smoking together (we BARELY made it through that one without killing each other).  We have spent countless hours walking in the park, playing games and having fun.  We have shared laughter and tears.  There have been weddings and funerals, triumph and tragedy.  We have played in the snow and on the beach, survived blizzards and tornadoes together.  It has truly been the best five years of my life.

We have shared so many wonderful times together, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds.