Birthday wishes from afar....

It was twenty-one years ago, today, 

when you entered the world,

though God had been knitting you 

together since the beginning.

We traveled through valleys 

and over mountains in your

childhood days, and God knew

 who you would be from the beginning.

You have been through 

some difficult days, months, years....

but you are beautiful because of it...

because of Jesus.

You are a new creation.

You are a light in the world.

You are a gift, Brianna, not just to me...

but to so many others.

You are filled with compassion and love 

that you openly share with others.

You are beautiful, in your spirit, through and through.

You are a loyal friend.

You are full of spunk.

You are joyful.

You are an awesome sister.

You are a hard worker.

You are courageous.

You are a servant.

You are patient.

You are kind.

You are missed.

But mostly....

you are loved!!!

Happy 21st Birthday beautiful daughter!

Can't wait to celebrate when you are home.

We are so proud of you.

Sending you our biggest hugs and kisses

until we see you again.

xoxoxoxoxo

her new home

Two weeks ago

we moved our precious daughter

into her new home...a dorm room.

It was a gift to see her navigating

her new surroundings with grace

and gave us such peace to know

her life will not just be a number there.

The month leading up to this day

had been emotional and painful

for so many reasons making this

transition especially difficult.

Hard as it was to say good-bye,

my joy is overflowing for

this new chapter in her life.

One last hug for dad

Bri's new roomie

dorm room digs 

 

 

Off and running towards her future

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.
"They are plans for good and not for disaster,
 to give you a future and a hope.
In those days when you pray, I will listen.
If you look for me wholeheartedly,
you will find me."

Jeremiah 29:11

May your future be blessed
and filled with hope sweet one.

For Bri...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love you.
Yesterday.
Today.
Always.

The Graduate

 

 

I am so proud of you Bri and am excited as
you pursue new dreams in life.
Above all else, remember this ~
You are loved.

Here are a few words to remember and
take with you through life. Not my own,
but words I aspire to live by.

"People are often unreasonable, illogical,
and self-centered: Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of
selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false
friends and true enemies: Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank people will try
to cheat you: Be honest anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could
destroy overnight: Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may
be jealous of you: Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten
by tomorrow: Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may
never be enough: Give your best anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway."
~Mother Theresa

dancing queen

2011 prom (junior year)

2012 winter formal

2012 prom (last month)

I just recently realized that

I hadn't posted any photos from

the many dances my

sweet bri has been to.

It's hard to believe this was the last one

before she graduates high school

and moves on to college life.

I know it sounds cliche,

but time has really flown by.

 I'm not quite prepared

for her to spread her wings

and fly away,

nor have I taken the time to

really wrap my head around it.

My fear is that it will hit me

LIKE. A. TON. OF. BRICKS.

In fact it is at this very moment

filling me with emotions

beyond which I can contain.

Whoa!  I took a little detour

and the tears are flowing.....

already.

I know one thing about this girl for sure.

She will bring many smiles

to those she encounters

and she'll never stop dancin.

I love you to the moon

my sweet baby girl!

xoxo

birthday love

 

It's been eighteen years since I first met you.
It was at that very moment I first felt true love.
It was the day that my world was completely changed ~
I was given a purpose beyond myself.
Only eighteen myself when you were born,
I had no idea what it meant to be fully
 responsible for another life. 
But I purposed in my heart from that very day
that I would give you all that I had.
You would be my first priority.

And now here we are.
Your childhood has come and gone
in what feels like the blink of an eye.
I look at you as you prepare for graduation,
college, life on your own and my head swirls
with visions of:

sit & spin on the kitchen floor
beeth-oven
hairbrushing tears
dance parties
pedicures
movie nights
lonnnggggg talks
sunrise walks on the beach
popcorn & milkduds
thriller dance
young life
heartache
doritos
france
& so much more

I look at you now and am amazed
at the young woman you have become.
You have a heart of tenderness,
and a beauty that runs deeper than
any photo could portray.
There is a spirit of giving in you
that is felt by those around you.
You are gifted with the ability
to draw others to you,
and to love on them in the
way they most need it.
You bring joy to the hearts of
those that know you best,
those that call you family
and those who call you a friend.

Today I celebrate who you are
and who you are yet to be.
May you always know the love
I have for you
wherever you go,
whatever you do,
even when we disagree.

You will always be my first true love.

mom

Yesterday

 

it feels like i just took

these photos on the girls'

first day of school in august.

my beautiful bri starting her junior year

and the little miss entering kindergarten.

yet here we are with a new lovebug and

the school year coming to an end

and as usual i am wondering

where did the time go?

what a blessing it is to have photos

to help us remember when...

and relive the little things.

meet the nanny

After a day at school our premier chef/au pair
cooked us up a dish of
tortellini with chicken and homemade pesto
with a spinach salad and parmesan rolls for dinner.
It was outstanding.

She then decided to hold the little peanut
so that I could clean up the kitchen
(that's the deal at our house,
you cook ~ I clean and vice versa)
so she strapped miss love on
and decided to do some light reading.



 

It's so beautiful to watch my
sweet Bri growing into a talented,
 multi-tasking (you have no idea until
you see a teenager maneuver the incredible
world of technology) woman,
but I especially treasure this view~
my first true love nurturing her younger sisters.

Our girls

I've been wanting a new camera for ages now and my sweet friend Becky let me borrow her Canon Rebel for a few days to try it out and capture the newness of the little peanut before she turns into a coconut.  I was really happy with the shots I got of all my girls and thought I'd share after a little nudging from mama wicky.  I had so much fun using her camera that I've put it on my Christmas list to Santa with the hope that I haven't been too naughty.

My time has been pretty used up these days with nursing, swaddling, rocking, diapers, storybook reading, and trying to get a few extra winks in from time to time.  Friends & family have been incredibly thoughtful by bringing us meals, helping with the little miss, and sending gifts of love.  We are grateful to be surrounded by our little community of friendship.  You are all a blessing to us. 

the beach party

Sweet Bri's birthday was last April, as was her party.  I was just thinking back on what a fun time it was and since I never got around to posting photos, thought I'd share a few.  The party was held at my cousin's beautiful beach house.  The kids had a laid back beachy day that was spent playing games, munching on dentist~friendly goodies, surfing and gathering around the bonfire.  It was an "awesome" day.

Celebrating Summer

Last weekend we ventured out to the Santa Barbara Summer Soltsice Parade.  It's always full of eye candy, rythmic sounds and plenty of toys.  I'm constantly impressed by the effort that goes into the floats, costumes and performances for display on State Street.  After the parade there's a huge party at the park with live music, a drumming circle, vendors of all sorts, food and great entertainment for the kids.  The little miss decided to try and fit the theme this year at the dress up booth while her big sis was shakin her hips at the hula hoop booth.

Hope your summer is off to a good start!

Sweet

Dearest Bri~
Today you turn sixteen,
and the words I have are few.
It's not because I have little to say,
but because I barely know where to begin
or how to fit it all into one post.
So this will have to suffice:
Your life has been an amazing gift to me.
Each day I am honored to watch you
grow into the young woman you are and will be.
I love to hear your voice, your laughter, your desires.
I love who you are.

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY MY SWEET! 

please, oh please

artwork by Sarah Jane 

This tiny card is hanging up in my little one's room.  It's the sweetest reminder of how quickly time is flying by and for me to cherish the little days because in the blink of an eye, they will be over.  It happens overnight as you sleep, you know.  The fast forward fairies will sneak into her room, sprinkle their magic fairy dust and I will wake up to a high schooler who is gearing up to get her driver's permit, going to dances and thinking about college.  I have proof.  They've already hit my house once.  I shant let it happen again.

Any suggestions on fairy traps? 

Meet our new chef

Madame Bri will be cooking for us once a week to work on her culinary skills.  Last monday's menu was pesto chicken pasta and salad.  It was delish!  Since this was only her second time cooking a real meal from a recipe on her own I quickly realized that she's going to need a sous-chef for the first month or so to keep the family from eating raw meats or dining on each course in half hour increments.  I am so excited for this journey with my sweet young chef as we prepare food, dance around the kitchen and taste some fun recipes together. 

It's crazy to think how quickly she will be ready for life in the real world ~ without us by her side for every decision, every tear, every accomplishment.  Savoring the days for now.

Candy shmandy

These girls are all the treat I need.

Seriously?

I turned my back for a small window of time yesterday to two sick teenagers lying on the couch groaning in misery. Yet this morning when I plugged my camera into the computer.....here is what they left me. Whodu thunk fresh produce could be so much fun! Oh how they love to surprise me!

Rituals

Hair √

Makeup √

Nails √

Date √

Mom's AnXiEtY √ √ √

The first real dance/date for my sweet (big) baby girl. How did we get to this point? Can't we wait a couple more years? Is that his hand around her waist?

Ready. I am not.