Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is the birthday of a pretty special lady in my life...

A mother of 3 girls.

All of who hope to be half the woman she is someday.

A mother who has made so many sacrifices.
One who has worked a job in order to put her daughters through a Christian school.
One who cannot sleep at nights until all her girls are home.
One who never shops for herself and goes without in order to give more to her family.

A great friend to so many.

I love that she can strike up a conversation with anyone.

I love how giving she is and I know she is appreciated by so many.

A wonderful wife.

Still  crazy about my dad...27 years of marriage have made them even more in love.

A daughter who loves unconditionally.

A lady who is an excellent cook, great listener, advice giver, and godly Sunday School teacher.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

I love you so much and I am so proud to have such a godly example in my life.  I am so blessed!

I hope you have a great day and remember that this day and every day of the year you are celebrated and appreciated in so many ways.

Love,

Your daughter

It's her day!!

December 20, 2011.

A special day for this lovely young lady -

Today she marries her best friend.

She will be missed by several.

But in her marriage,

we know that we have not lost a friend-

instead we have gained another.

 Congratulations, Michelle -

I hope your day is as beautiful as you!

Come see some of my photography over at Serendipity-Images.

On this day...

 twenty-four years ago, Elizabeth Jane was born.

We were friends from the start.

 Here we are at my 5th birthday party...

 elementary days our friendship consisted in writing letters...

 As you can see above we even had our very own club complete with a secret language and handshake.

Now as to what the letters JFS stand for...that dies with us. :)

 We shared a love for American Girl and were so excited when they opened a store in Chicago.

Her parents took us to the spend the day there and we had a blast!

 

We were a crazy group;

and Liz was someone I knew would always make me laugh.

When we entered junior high our friendship was full of ups and downs.

We hung with different groups and did not spend time in each other's company much.

  

However in college that changed when I was on the bus route with her.

We spent many a Saturday visits and Sunday shuttle drives together.

  

It was then that we picked up where we left off.

Our friendship resumed as if it had never missed a beat.

  

I discovered that Liz was a sincere sweet girl and she still could make me laugh.

We made so many memories and in those two years I made a forever friend.

 I do not doubt that the Lord brought her back into my life.

You see all my close friends had moved out of state but she was here.

Here to listen and to laugh.

When she asked me to stand along side her on her special day, I was honored.

  

She married a great guy who is perfect for her and they moved

all the way to California!!

But, you know what?

Despite our distance we remain constant.

She is a faithful, loyal-true-blue friend...

This summer I was able to visit her, and I had a wonderful time

in her beautiful state. 

And somehow, despite how old I get she still manages to bring out my crazy side!  :)

So on her birthday, I just wanted to share with all what a truly wonderful friend she is.

I wish I could spend the day celebrating with her.

Liz,

I just want to wish you a very happy 24th birthday and let you know that I count you among one of my greatest blessings.  If I could I would fly out there this very minute to help make your day special.  I miss you lots and want to let you know that Sunday pickups are just not the same.  No one else wants to stop at Luke's gas station for chocolate donuts and mountain dew...;)  I miss us giggling like school girls one moment then reminiscing and tearing up in another.  I look forward to being reunited soon!

Happy, happy birthday friend.

Love you!

Come see some of my photography over at Serendipity-Images.

Where thou art -

that - is home.

~Emily Dickinson

My newest addition to my key ring:

And the lovely house that we now call home:

 

Home, the spot of  earth supremely blest,

a dear sweeter spot than all the rest.

~Robert Montgomery

Come see some of my photography over at Serendipity-Images.

BIG news::

 It all started two weeks ago...

I attended 4 consecutive days of classes - a total of 32 hours of listening 

to the same instructor talk about Property & Casualty Insurance.

I learned a lot, and came away with two quotes from my entertaining mentor:

You can't unscramble scrambled eggs.

&

Good, better, best.

Never let it rest.

Til your good gets better,

and

your better gets best.

Anyways...

I poured over books,

listened to over 10 hours of audio reviews,

studied every spare waking moment...

{I am not stretching the truth one little bit-

my family can vouch for me}

And last Saturday it paid off when I took the 160 question, 3 hour exam and passed by 4 points!

I was soooo pumped; I could hardly contain my excitement.  

The next step was to apply for my resident producer license,

which I received this past Thursday.

{I WILL be framing that up in my room! :)}

Now I can dive into these two books that I have been saving to reward myself! ;)

Come see some of my photography over at Serendipity-Images.

looking back...

Then::

{September 8, 1999}

&

Now::

{September 8, 2011}

Happy Birthday to the first man I ever fell in love with.

The guy who I still go to for advice.

The man who knows a little bit about everything-

Who taught me how to ride a bike,

fry an over-easy egg (or as we called it dip-dip egg)

cut in and tape before painting,

wax a car,

shoot hoops,

 how to see the best in others,

and live to please God.

I love you, Daddy!

~your little girl

Come see some of my photography over at Serendipity-Images.

I celebrate...

my sister

linking up here

Dear Brooke,

I want to wish you a happy 21st birthday.  I am proud of the young lady you have become and I am so blessed to be called your sister.  I love you with all of my heart and I thank God every day for the extra time He has given me at home with my family.  Times like the above where we can grab my camera and act silly, laughing at ourselves...  And then there are other times when we have heart-to-hearts and I realize what a godly young woman you truly are and I know that someday a young man will see just that and sweep you off your feet.  You are giving and devoted to the work of God, and there have been many times that I wonder if I am a good enough example for you.  I love listening to you sing off key and hearing you practice your speeches.  I love how excited you get about eating and how stressed you get about upcoming papers and tests.  Words cannot even begin to express what you mean to me, and I know I have told you this before, but I want you to know that not only do I count myself blessed to call you my sister, but also my best friend.

Happy 21st!

Happy Father's Day

Most fathers and mothers pray for a son.  

Someone to carry on the family name and work alongside the father.  

My daddy never got a son...instead he was blessed with three daughters!  :) 

What many people fail to realize is the special bond between Fathers and daughters.

For it is a girl's daddy whom other men will always be judged by.  

A Father is the standard which the girl will look for in a future husband.

I am so grateful that God has given me godly Father.

A man who leads our family by example.

A man who works so hard, yet takes time to be with his family.

Daddy,

I love you so very much and I wish you a great Father's Day, 

on this day and forever!