Our first 18th birthday

After hosting an innumerable number of children's birthday parties,

I've observed that as the children age,

the style of their birthday celebrations changes.

Gone are the princess themed parties with the dress-up and matching plates and napkins.

The Barbie-doll and castle cakes are simply fond memories.

Nobody plays games or stumbles home with a crumpled bag of candy and favors.

Enter the groups of co-ed friends who want to simply hang-out over lunch somewhere.
Or go to the mall and spend all their birthday money with their friends in tote.

I had just gotten home from a 10 day, 1,100 mile drive to Ohio with 3 kids mid-week before her birthday, and school was starting the day after her birthday.
I had spent the week before our trip organizing for school and said trip,
and hadn't put any thought into her birthday celebration yet.
  

So, undeterred, she took matters into her own hands, and crafted a fun day for herself

on the day of her actual birthday.

But I really wanted her to know how much her family adores her and asked if we could all celebrate together the following week.

I made her favorite kind of cake and we invited yet more friends who were unable to

participate in her previous gathering of  friends.

We all went out for her favorite food (Mexican)

and enjoyed a giant slab of cake at home later.

We have pretty much loved these teen years,
and all the awesome friends she has brought home with her!
How can you NOT love these faces?

We cannot wait to see what God has in store for this girl
in this next year!!

A tale of two birthdays

Once upon a time........

Two brothers celebrated the completion of yet another voyage around the sun.

The oldest brother was celebrating his 13th trip.

 He was not a very materialistic chap, and could only think of one thing that he reeeeeeally

wanted for this momentous birthday.

The other brother was celebrating his 9th trip around the sun.
By the time his birthday rolled around in late May,

the rain had been coming,
in record amounts.

This guy didn't have a lot of requests either, but he DID ask specifically for a special lunch.

We ran through raindrops.

These were the last two birthdays of our family's spring "birthday season,"

and though we couldn't go swimming in May on Garrett's birthday as in other years

because of the massive rain and flooding all month, we were excited for the things

to come for these boys in the upcoming summer!!!!

A new 15-year old

April, historically, keeps us busy.

We celebrate no less than 3 birthdays in our immediate family,

2 birthdays in our extended family, 

 and our wedding anniversary in a 12-day span of time.

Toss in Resurrection Sunday some years during that two weeks

and it seems we're celebrating a different event every day!!

We sort of think of it as our 2nd "Christmas season."

Our second daughter celebrates her birthday first.

This year she turned 15.

Not unlike any other family in the world, it is very obvious to us how

much each of our children are unique and different from each other.

They all have the same parents, the same set of genes to pull from,

yet none of them are alike or even close in personality to the others.

"There is one glory of the sun,

and another glory of the moon,

and another glory of the stars:

for one star differs from another star in glory."

~ I Corinthians 15:41

When I stand and gaze up at the black sky, full of stars,

and take in the wonder of the galaxy as a whole,

it initially looks like a great swath of identical creations.

Each very similar to it's neighboring, shimmering, celestial body.

But even our Intelligent Designer's diary, His guide book reveals to us

that each star is uniquely different from the other.

They each have a different purpose, a different design.

Each is a glorious, breathtaking star, yes.

But each has it's own characteristics that make it irreplaceable in the picture as a whole.

Our second daughter has a charm and sweetness that is all her own.

She has a curiosity about the world around her that none of her other siblings have.

Her calm and gentle nature attracts those who are not because it has a soothing

effect on them.

She enjoys working with small children. 

She has the patience for that.

She has endured no less than 3 extended hospital stays in her short life

for completely different, random issues,

but she has always handled those times with grace and perseverance.

We can't wait to see what God is going to do with this young lady's life.

He clearly has a design and purpose for it, and is preparing her

to do mighty things for Him!

We have been so blessed to have her as a part of our family for the last

15 years!!

Happy birthday, Ashlyn!!

Happy 11th Birthday Abby!!

This spring, our 3rd, only brown-eyed girl, celebrated her 11th trip around the sun.
We had so much fun getting ready for her special day.

The week before her birthday, there was a small party for all the March birthdays at our little school and she enjoyed being one of the guests of honor.

Her birthday was actually on a school day this year, so we took in some treats to share with all our friends during our one break of the morning.

One tradition that started with our oldest daughter is that her Daddy wanted to take her out special on her 11th birthday (why 11 was chosen I cannot remember!) and buy her a special outfit.  This year it was finally Abby's turn.  She picked out the dress and shoes all by herself.
One Easter outfit = CHECK!!!

Her birthday also just happened to be "Free ice cream cone at Dairy Queen Day," and what better way to cap off your birthday than with free ice shared with special best friends!!

Happy 7th Birthday!!

Yesterday we celebrated our first birthday of this new year.

I confess that I had mixed feelings about this birthday.
7 seems like the age that little ones really move away from being so little and needy.
For some, it's more like 6, but in the first grade, they are reading better and gaining more overall independence.
Some of the anxieties associated with childhood fears lessen in intensity, and there is less noticeable childhood illnesses.
They are getting bigger and stronger overall.
They are able to understand more complex concepts.
Last year, in March, this little precious trusted Jesus and accepted Him as her Savior.
We talked about this decision for many weeks before she fully understood her need to ask Jesus to forgive her sins and to receive His free gift of salvation.
She is becoming more sensitive about living in such a way that pleases Jesus.

Because we are involved in a brand new schooling program this year, we took a big 'ol cake
to share with all our new friends at our break time!!

My other 3 girls had their ears pierced by 7 at the latest, so I asked Aryn if she would like to get her ears pierced this year for her birthday.
We had talked to her about that possibility last year, so she had quite awhile to think about it,
and she unhesitatingly responded with an enthusiastic YES!!
All my other girls had a friend go with them, so we made that arrangement for a friend to go this time as well!!

After opening a few more small presents at home and sharing a light dinner together, it was time for some homemade cupcakes and our favorite ice cream!!!

We are so thankful to celebrate yet another year of life with this precious, vivacious, sparkly little girl!!  What a joy and privilege it has been to watch God work in her life, and to watch her love for the Lord grow and develop.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for her life!