Happy Birthday Matthew!!!

Or, as I'm sure he'd prefer, "Happy Birthday, Yo!"

Okay, so, I am really freaking out. My little brother is 13 YEARS OLD today!! Yikes! How did you grow up so fast? Before I know it your voice will change and you'll start shaving...

Oh please. Banish the thought.

In honor of his day, here are a few pictures I managed to snap of him these past couple of years...

^This is him on Easter Sunday this year, looking very handsome...

^ Aaaaannnddd...I think you've all seen this one already but it is one of my all time favorites. :)

Here he is with Emily cooking breakfast on vacation. You'd never know it, but Matthew is quite the chef. Bacon and eggs are his specialty. :)

And baseball. The man loves baseball. You can hardly see his wall because of all the posters and pictures of baseball players. I will also add, he is very patient with me when we play, because even though I love it too, I can't do it. Thanks, man, for teaching me what a "batting stance" is. :)

^This is Matthew building a snowman last winter at the H's. He loves the snow and practically lives outdoors during the winter.

Matthew: It is amazing to see you growing up into a young man. I pray that as you grow and mature that God would mold your heart into a heart after His own. I know we don't always get along, but I believe God is using our differences to change and refine us. Thank you for being so generous with me and for being a gentleman by carrying things and opening doors for me. This is a sign of true, godly manhood! Thank you for being gracious and letting me tag along with you and the other guys when you go play baseball, and for letting me and my friends drag you along into our weird and crazy schemes. :) I don't know what I'd do without you.

I love you very much, Matthew, and may God bless you this first year of being a "real teenager." :)

Beware...I have many hilarious pictures to post of when Matthew was little. And they will, without a doubt, be up tomorrow. Bwah ha ha...

Abby's Birthday (Continued)

Time for Pictures!!

Some of these were taken a couple years ago - but they are some of my favorites because they REALLY capture her personality. lol. :)

Happy Birthday Abby!!!

Goodness! It's hard to believe this girlie is 6 years old! Who could have imagined what a blessing God was giving us when we found out my mom was expecting. Ever since I was about the age she is now, I had prayed earnestly for God to give me a little sister. After my mom's first miscarriage, I was heartbroken. I prayed even harder.

And then...God gave us Abby.

What a joy she is to our family! Its hard to imagine what life was like before this little bundle of energy. How kind God is!

Abby: It is obvious to me how God is working in you even at a young age. Among other things, he has given you a generous and cheerful heart, and a quickness to forgive. I pray that as you get older God would continue to work in you and increase your tenderness towards him. I love you very, very much!!!

(P.S. I will try to post some more pictures tomorrow...I am having trouble accessing some of my files right now...grrr...)

Happy Birthday, Joshua!!

Joshua had his birthday yesterday. He turned eleven. In honor of his day, I went through a box of old photos and rummaged up some of his earliest pictures:

Besides being the cutest baby to ever be born, Josh was probably the best tempered, too. Unlike me (I was an extremely colicky, demanding baby) Josh was very content.

He bore up well, too, with much patience. Although he looks pretty traumatized in the picture above. (Yes, that is me, dangling him on the stairs. I was about four.)

Besides being good, patient, and content, Joshua was an extremely happy baby.

And um, did I mention, adorable?

And of course he's always been a big eater...Here he is with Matthew in their matching Sunday best.

Here are a few pictures from last year...(that's him in his Royal Rangers uniform)...

And here he is, playing with sticks in the fire on a camping trip...

My dear, adorable brother:

Happy birthday! It is so obvious to me that the Lord is working in you. You have such a tender heart towards the Lord...its amazing to see what God is doing in your heart. You may not know it, but you often provoke me in this way. Thank you for the way you often prefer others and are learning to consider others as more important than yourself. You are also a very generous young man - I could count many times you have shared with me without complaining. I know I don't always appriciate you, and I know I can be bossy and grumpy somtimes with you, but I know the Lord has given me a gift in you, as my brother, and I am thankful for you.

"Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart
to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at
worthless things; and give me life in your ways." ~ Psalm 119: 35 - 37

Love,

Your sister

Friends and Birthdays

This week we had Lauren's fifteenth birthday party. Here she is opening her presents:

She thinks she looks bad in pictures, but personally, I think she's adorable.

Vivian and Emily S. I actually have a whole series of interesting photos of them sitting on that couch, but there are too many and will have to wait.

Alicia. We started having pillow fights at like, 6 o'clock, lol. :)
Here is Lauren's dog, Winnie, carrying her "baby." I love her bows. :)
Here is Lauren again, looking pretty as usual, and her new baby brother, Noah, who is likely the most adorable baby I have ever seen. Ahhh! I love him!

Lauren - you are such a dear friend and an incredible blessing in my life, even if you don't know it. Your gentle and quiet spirit is glorifying to God and an example to me. I am so blessed to know you and call you "friend." Happy birthday, girl! I love you!

And Sunday was Ben's birthday. Seventeen. Holy-moley.

We went to play baseball after church and had a grand old time. Then Ben and William went to the men's gym night at church and came home afterwards for cake and ice-cream.


Here is the birthday boy, enjoying his cake and being ornery while I was trying so hard to take his picture.



And the one below, ah, yes, he looks so innocent, doesn't he? Actually, he was trying to whip the plate up in front of his face but, bwahaha, I was to fast for him and got it anyway!

Ben - even though it disturbs me that you are so old :) I want you to know your friendship is a joy in my life. I was looking through a box of old pictures the other day and laughing at how little we were and how funny we looked (still look?). :) Thank you for being my friend and making me laugh and generally putting up with me. Happy Birthday! Cousins rock. :)

Mmkay...it's 9:30 and I'm quite exhausted for no particular reason so I guess I'll sign off now. Ta-ta for now...

Elisabeth~

Anna's Birthday

We celebrated Anna's 13th yesterday afternoon at a sweet, old fashioned, and feminine Victorian Tea Room - so Anna. She is all girl. I love her so much!

Ooooh...and there were these delicious chocolate covered strawberries...

I think Emily and I ate too many of them. We felt rather bloated afterwards. :)

"Hey, look at the bumps in the chocolate!"

"Whoa! Cool!"

I loved the chandeliers. I could take pictures of chandeliers all day.

Sadie posing - HEE HEE!

Here is Anna opening her presents...

Emily H., Catherine and I bought her some pretty lace-up boots to accomodate her 19th century wardrobe. She has worn Mary-Jane's with her dress for too long. No more!

Okay so this is kind of random but this picture made me laugh. Vivian's mom is looking at my mom like she's a lower life form or something, but my mom just laughing so hard. So cute!

I really like the lamp in the background of this picture

Okay - gorgeous! Anna, you are beautiful on the outside, but what is more important is that you are beautiful on the inside, too. I respect you so much. Your gentle and quiet spirit, your biblical femininity, and your humility as you seek to grow in biblical [young]womanhood are just a few of the many things I admire about you. Your attitude of obedience and respect for your parents has challenged and provoked me more than you know. I am so blessed to have you as a friend. Oh my, all my friends are such godly examples in so many different ways...God has blessed me through each and every one of your friendships (yes, even you!) Happy birthday, Anna!