Happy 11th Birthday Daniel

Oh my sweet Daniel, how I love you so much.  You are such a special spirit and you bring us so much joy.  I truly consider you to be such a blessing in our lives.  You have such a wonderful sense of humor, such wonderful timing. 
I can't believe you're 11.  Not really a little boy anymore, not quite a man.  You have always been right there with your brothers, trying so hard to keep up.  Sometimes I forget you aren't quite as old as you seem.  You have always been just a little spoiled by all of us, even your brothers.  Everyone in our family is quick to help you and love you through this journey called life.
I wish you continued joy and happiness and do me a favor, stop growing so fast!

36

Today is my birthday and while I'm not a big birthday celebrator, I'm not a birthday hater either.  The reality is that every year I get a little older.  I don't fret about my age, it's a number.  I am in charge of my life and how I view it.  I feel rather accomplished in my life and I'm happy to be able to reflect back at my journey and see just how far I've come.  

I hope that the next 36 years are just as rewarding as the past 36!

Bittersweet 16!

Our first born child turned 16 last Sunday (yes, I'm late!). I really do cry every year on each of my kid's birthdays. I can never believe they are growing so fast. I swear time goes way too quickly!

Michael has been a blessing in my life since the day I found out I was pregnant with him. Though I was scared at 19, wondering what I was going to do with a child, I loved him from the very start. I was excited the first time I felt him move and the first time I saw him on an ultra-sound. I was terrified going through premature labor and then preeclampsia with him. I wondered if that was a hint as to what I was to expect with him in life. It wasn't.

Michael is our most laid-back child. He takes life as it comes and is so patient and kind. He sees the good in most people and always has a smile to share. He is always willing to help and rarely grumbles.

He has so many talents and works at being gracious for what Heavenly Father has blessed him with.

While he does quarral with his brothers on occasion (who doesn't?), I am amazed at the charity he shows them. Even celebrating his birthday is a testament to the patient, kind-hearted, young man that he has grown to be. We celebrated tonight with homemade pizza, salad and a bass clef birthday cake designed by a friend. We celebrated a week AFTER his birthday because last week we were at the state wrestling tournament. Like I said, so easy going and patient.

Michael, we love you, you are growing into an amazing young man. I look forward to seeing you continue to grow...just don't do it so fast, okay?

Happy 14th Birthday Neil!

Note* Neil was born in Korea, 14 years ago. And since it's already the 31st in Korea, I want to go ahead and wish my handsome boy a Happy Birthday!! (and in Korea, he would be considered 15 because they celebrate their "1st" birthday the day they are born!)

I cannot believe another year has gone by and my kids continue to get older. I love watching them progress and yet it makes my heart ache to see time moving so fast. I love my boys and I wish they would stay little boys, yet I also love watching them grow into these amazing young men!

Oh my sweet Neil, how can I ever tell you how much I love you. From the day I met you and held you in my arms, I wondered who you would be and what you would be like. You always looked up to Michael and wanted to do everything he was doing. You didn't start talking until you were almost 4, making me sad because I didn't know what was going on in your little mind. You always had the sweetest little smile, a bit crooked and I often wondered what it meant. You were so content to play by yourself and didn't require too much attention.

You were never overly affectionate and you still aren't. I will never forget the day you laid your sweet little head on my shoulder when you were 9 years old and whispered in my ear..."I love you."

I know now that you do love daddy and me, you just don't always know how to express it. I am amazed at how much you have grown spiritually and physically over the past year. The way you are now a true friend to others, the way you can now connect socially. I finally feel like we know who you are and what you are all about. Everyday that I look at you, I feel so blessed to be your mother. I love your still crooked smile. I love your laugh and I love your smirk.

I love you Neil, these past 14 years have been challenging at times yet so rewarding.

Daddy and I are so blessed to call you our son, we love you...always and forever!

You may grow taller and bigger than me, but you will always be my little boy...always!

35!

Today is my birthday! Well for 45 more minutes at least. I've never been overly excited about birthdays. I'm not one of those people who hate aging (I mean it happens, you can't stop it). I don't lie about my age (I mean really, I didn't have my son when I was 5). Birthdays are a natural occurrence, they happen. Growing up we didn't have much so birthdays were not really a big thing so I never really got excited about birthdays...they come, they go. Kevin has been gone for a lot of my birthdays and I would never want the boys to feel bad if they forgot so I don't make a big deal about it. I don't even have my birthday posted on my FB so all my "friends" didn't get a reminder. (One "friend" seemed butt hurt about it...but I don't care! It's my birthday I can say that!) My loving husband however, posted on his FB and then on mine so it was let out and I feel blessed for all the wonderful messages....

Anyway, today was a good day...I got up after getting in late last night from Joplin (see previous post). I slept in a little later than I had planned (that's what happens when kids aren't in school!). I had planned on having the missionaries from our church over for dinner but then we had to change plans when we decided to go out of town instead (which didn't happen either). We had them over for lunch instead and I promised them homemade pizza (what was I thinking promising homemade pizza on MY birthday?!?!). Anyway, I got 5 homemade pizzas made by lunchtime and we had a YUMMY lunch.


Pizza #5 got eaten before I could take a pic..it was half pepperoni/half sausage for inquiring minds!

Then I went and got my hair done! I love having red highlights...they make me truly happy but the time had come to let my hair have a rest from that constant upkeep so I went back to my naturally dark hair. Come fall the red will be back but for now, it's just plain with a cute cut! Can I just say that I think I go get my hair done for the mere pleasure of having my hair washed by someone else? It is so relaxing! I have the best hair dresser (who is moving by the way *sob*) and she does a scalp massage when she's conditioning my hair...can you say HEAVEN! Anyway...got my hair done!
Let me just say it because I am a woman...this is not the best pic..no make-up (did you read paragraph above about oversleeping, making pizzas...okay then!) Wow, look at my freckles just popping out for all to see! (Actually, I love my freckles, so I don't mind them showing up!)

After I got home, I said goodbye to my love for a couple days. Originally we were going to head down to Branson for the weekend but after the tornado in Joplin hit, we felt our time and resources would be better spent going and helping down there. I went yesterday and today Kevin and a few men from our church headed down to help for a few days with moving debris and whatever else they will be needed for. So we loaded him up (they will be camping near the airport and took whatever they needed to be self-sufficient so they would not add to the already stressed community) and I gave him lots of kisses to last the few days until he comes home.

Thursdays are the nights Kevin and I usually volunteer at the USO, so I went ahead and went and did my shift, taking the boys with me (trust me they don't mind, they get to play X-box while I am there). Now we are home relaxing...headed to bed soon.

So overall 35 was great! I will close with part of what I wrote on my FB page and with some pics of my gift and cards from the hubby...

I feel truly grateful for the wonderful people in my life. I look at the past 35 years and feel blessed with the experiences and opportunities that have been given to me. I have a beautiful family and a great life..things can only get better...

I didn't notice he had written on the back until just a little while ago and he made me laugh on two things written...1) he wrote "LOL" twice 2) he mentions about me not liking him when we first met and how he really was nice to me, (he wasn't, lol)

P.S. It has taken me a long time to write this post...I have three minutes until my birthday is over, I need to hit "publish post" now!

Mooovin' On Up Over the Hill

Happy Birthday Kevin!! It's the big 40!

Today is Kevin's birthday and I always try to do something "special". Well this weekend I am helping out with a Tell Me a Story project here and the book is about a cow. The group in charge of the program has been advertising by going around in a cow costume. Luckily I am friends with the person who currently has the cow suit so I decided it would be fun to pay Kevin a little visit at the office. We got the best reactions! Kevin laughed so hard. The best part was the other Soldiers in the section looking at us like we were crazy.

Happy birthday Kevin, I hope everyday is as fun as today was!

*Note, that is not me in the costume, that is my friend who loved me enough to wear the costume*



Moo cow could not get in the truck. We were parked in a reserved spot for some high ranking Air Force person. Someone was about to approach us and tell us to move I'm sure but when they saw the large cow they walked away...lol

Happy 9th Birthday Daniel!

Oh my has it been 9 years? Where has the time gone? I can't believe my baby is almost in the double digits. Daniel, Daniel, Daniel...what can I say? He was born just a few short months before our country changed forever. He has never known life without war in it. He has had to endure so much in his short life, bidding his daddy goodbye time and time again. He is so resilient and strong and such an example.

He is your typical youngest sibling in that he bickers with his brothers, he still cries when he gets hurts and he loves to snuggle when the mood strikes him.

I love to kiss his forehead because it still feels like a newborn baby forehead, so soft.

We continue to feel blessed year after year with Daniel in our lives. To think that at one point in time, we though we were content with two little boys. I feel grateful that Daniel was determined to join our family because I just can't imagine him not being here to make me smile day after day.

Happy Birthday sweet boy!

Happy Happy Birthday My Love!

Today our Soldier turns 39 and guess what his best gift is? He's home! He hasn't been home for his birthday since 2005! We feel so blessed to have him home for his special day.

I love you baby...wishing you lots of happiness into the next year!

P.S. I think he still looks hot at 39!

Happy 14th Birthday Michael

Wow, where has the time gone. I can't believe our oldest is 14 years old today. It really makes my heart sad that he is growing so fast. My sweet Michael. He makes us laugh and laugh and laugh. You never know what is going to come out of his mouth. He is probably one of the funniest people I know (besides me, of course!). He looks like his daddy but has a lot of mommy's personality. I think that's a wonderful blend of a person.

Michael is so tender-hearted and has such kindness in him. I hope that never changes. He has such confidence in himself, he doesn't care what people think of him. He stays who he is...a lovely boy who is a mix of silliness, seriousness, caring, loving, tender, kind, smart, handsome and cheerful.

I love that he still gives us kisses and hugs and will let me snuggle with him. I love his laugh and I love it when he tries to be all brave and serious with his dad just to crumble in laughter. Oh how my heart aches when I think in just a few short years he will be venturing out into this world alone. I know he's going to be a wonderful man and contribute something amazing to the world...he already does.

Happy Birthday Michael, you are such a blessing to us and anyone else's life you touch.

Happy Boy

So as I already mentioned today is Neil's birthday, he turned the big one two (12). Poor kid started his birthday kind of rough. He has been complaining that his tooth was hurting, but it wasn't consistent pain. We had some concerns because this same tooth landed him in the hospital 2 1/2 years ago. The fact that we could have lost him due to a serious infection lingers in my mind so I admit to being overprotective. Throw in that this is my Neil (those who know us on a very personal level will know what that means). So all of that has us a bit concerned. Kevin was right on it this morning when he woke up Neil and saw that his face was a bit warm and swollen. He didn't even give me a choice really about taking him to the ER. He got ready to go in. This was hard for me to let him do (yes, I'm a bit of a control freak AND I've dealt with so much on my own that sometimes I forget I can count on my husband). But I did it and was even relatively calm about it. Kevin kept me updated via texting and we found out in probably the quickest Military ER visit EVER that Neil has a pretty serious sinus infection. When I say fast, I mean fast! They did blood draw, CT and the doctor visit in less then 2 hours! Kevin was home and Neil in jammies in less then 2 hours! CRAZY!

The other two boys and I went to church like normal so Kevin and Neil chilled at home with Neil resting until we got back. We had dinner and then gave him his cake and presents. He was a very happy boy with his chocolate cake with chocolate frosting that he requested and his gifts of a tank model and a mini-netbook.

The day started off a bit rocky but my baby boy had a good day overall.

Neil, we love you, so much, what a blessing you are in our lives. I feel so blessed to know the Lord gave such a special spirit for us to raise.

Happy Birthday!

Happy 12th Birthday Neil!

Neil 2010

I scanned a few of the pics that really touched my heart, no I didn't go through his entire 12 years...only his first 4 or so in pics..but he is just so darn cute..really? I am always so sad when I think about how fast my babies grow up...12..really? When did that happen? We wished him a Happy Birthday earlier today because technically he turned 12 quite a few hours ago. Neil was born in Korea around 3 a.m., so it was still the 30th here in the States but the 31st in Korea. This confuses a lot of people but his birthday is January 31!

Just wanted to share a few pics of my sweet boy...Happy Birthday Neil..12 years of being your mom and dad has been a blessing for us!

Hospital pic..1998
Home in Taegu, South Korea

Neil and Daddy
He didn't really care for his swing..

Neil, 1999

Neil 2000Neil 2000, he looked so darn cute in those overalls
Neil 2000...loved the overalls
Oh how he loved his "skettie"
After a nap...
He begged for a baby doll so he could practice being a daddy.
Old skool Neil
This may or may not have been on Halloween...Neil liked to wear costumes every day of the year!Sweet Neil, 2001
Drill Sergeant Neil 2003
Oh..obsessed with Power Rangers is an understatement!
Sweet boy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEIL!