Happy Birthday, Aunt Dottie!!

Today is my beautiful, great aunt Dottie's birthday! Words have not yet been invented to describe how much I love this extraordinary lady.  Dottie lives in Massachusetts, so I don't get to see her very often, but she is in my thoughts every single day. When I think of Dottie, I hear her melodious laughter which lifts my heart, I see her beautifully delicate hands which remind me so much of my sweet Grandmother, and just the thought of Dottie makes me smile.  Beautiful lady, I hope you are having the very best day because you deserve every wonderful thing life has to offer! I love you oh so much!

I "borrowed" this picture from Facebook. I am so envious of everyone who was able to spend that special day with Dottie!  Love you, Aunt Dottie!

Oh The Drama Of Turning 40!

I promised myself that I would sit down this morning and update this blog before I began my day. My schedule is so hectic lately that I rarely have time for myself so if I don't make a firm commitment to update here then... well, as you've probably already noticed... it just doesn't get done.

Here we go..

Let's back up to the last few days of May and the first few days of June. I was still adjusting to a new rhythm of life working for Google. My day starts ridiculously early and I don't get two days off in a row.  (I know, it kinda sucks) Memorial Day happened to be on my birthday this year and I was stunned to see that it was snowing when I left for work. Snowing! On May 30! Shenanigans! I headed off to work and tried not to think of my family all snug in their beds at home, and about how I would miss the grave visiting this year because of work.  But my girls had surprised me the night before with movie tickets to see Kung Fu Panda 2 and since animated movies have become a tradition for us on my birthday, I had something to look forward to all day even if I was bummed that Hubby had to work on my birthday. (Our schedules are opposite.. he's in bed when I go to work, he's gone to work when I get home, and I'm in bed when he gets home.. no bueno.)

I went straight to the theater after work. My girlies were meeting me there for the movie and I was looking forward to seeing them all. Ashley had flown in from Atlanta that afternoon and I hadn't even seen her yet. It wasn't long before we were all seated (nearly front row) in a theater packed with a gazillion crying, talking, laughing, chair-kicking little kids. Let the festivities begin! Actually, I kept looking toward the aisle because I was sure the girls were going to surprise me and have Hubby show up late to the movie.. but he never came. I swallowed that disappointment and enjoyed the movie with my girls. Seriously, I really did enjoy it. Skadoosh!

After the movie, some of the girls went in one car while Ashley and Abby came with me in my Jeep. I noticed a paper on my windshield from the police, admonishing me for leaving my purse on the front seat. I felt properly chastised and did a quick search to make sure everything was there.  It wasn't. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I realized that my wallet was not in my purse. I had Abby text Hubby to see if he had taken it out when he went to the store the previous day, but he wasn't answering messages.

I drove home stressed and quiet. It had been barely one year ago that my wallet was stolen and I had to recreate my identity. I did not want to go through all of that again. I pulled into the driveway and the garage door opener would not work. Last December one of the springs broke and I had to pay $200 to get it repaired so the door would open again. Great. Had another spring snapped on my birthday?  I felt like I was the one who would soon snap.

As I approached the front door, I noticed that all the blinds were closed...... then I heard giggles.... then I noticed the car across the street looked familiar. The realization came slowly, but I was pretty certain by then that my house was full of people. (Shenanigizers!) I put on a brave face and stepped up to the door.  SURPRISE! Just as I thought, the house was full of family and friends... and cutely decorated. It took me a moment to drink it all in. I saw this massive, beautiful cake on the buffet table in the kitchen and out of the corner of my eye, I saw my sweetheart sitting in his favorite rocking chair. He didn't have to work afterall! I was speechless.

I have never been an overly social person. I tend to keep to myself... you know, the one who stands off to the side, casually observing the scene?  Yep, that's me. Finding myself the center of attention was uncomfortable, but I did my best to manage a smile and thank everyone for being so generous with their time and talents. But remember the wallet?  Yes, it was still missing and the pit in my stomach just got colder by the minute.

The gifts I was given were so very thoughtful.. and I cried in front of everyone as I opened a delicate notebook filled with my Sweet Grandma's handwriting. It was her account of our trip to Boston years ago. What a treasure it is to read her thoughts of that special time we shared. Even now I choke up at the thought of it. I will never get over the emptiness left in me when she passed away. Oh how I miss her!

Hubby was working hard to dish up the enchiladas, bean dip and guacamole he had prepared for our guests, but by then he also knew the wallet was missing and I could see the worry etched on his face. I had called the store to see if my wallet had been turned in but no luck. It was gone. I will always feel badly about how the missing wallet overshadowed the hard work that my girls and other family members had put in for weeks to throw me a surprise party. I wish I could have a do-over.  My darling Linzie even went down to her room in tears. She said it was the worst thing that could ever happen.  I held her in my arms and assured her that a missing wallet was just a thing that could be replaced. My family are the most precious things in the world to me and as long as I have them then I haven't lost anything.  I held her hand and brought her back to the party.

I'm a party wrecker... I'm ashamed to admit that. My mood brought everyone down and although I can't change it now, I did learn a valuable lesson from it. No matter what, make sure that the people around you feel appreciated and give them their moment to shine.  I took the shine from my girls that day with the wallet drama and I wish I could take it all back.

After all the guests had gone, Hubby said he wanted to go to the store to look for the wallet himself. I had already cancelled my cards and I knew the odds of finding it were zero, but it was still my birthday. My 40th birthday.  I told him I would ride with him so I could spend a few more moments with my favorite people before I had to go to bed and rest up for work early the next morning.

The girls and I were barefoot so we waited in the Durango while Hubby went in the store. I thanked them over and over for being such thoughtful girls. I truly loved all they had done for me. But the sadness was still there.. under the surface. Stupid wallet! As Hubby returned to the Durango with his head hung low, I was grateful that he had tried. I felt so loved by my family that day! I knew he felt bad so I reassured him it was just "stuff" and that it would all be fine.  That's when he grinned.

With great flourish, he pulled his hand from behind his back and TA DA! There was my wallet! The same store that had told me hours earlier that there was no wallet turned in actually had it the whole time! The joyful cheers filled the Durango and Hubby was a hero. (I still tease him that he lost it on purpose so he could pull off a surprise of his very own!)

By the time I went to bed that night, I was so exhausted. I had experienced the full range of emotions that day and I couldn't take it all in.  I will probably always feel apologetic about my 40th birthday surprise party... I did kinda ruin it you know... But I'm certain it will be one that we will never forget!

Thank you everyone who came to celebrate (Sorry for the drama) and thank you to Stephanie Randquist for making such a yummy, exquisite cake!  Thanks most of all to my sweet girlies, Hubby, favorite sis and my mom for working so hard on something special just for me. You are all the best and I am so very lucky to have you in my life!

Coming up later this week.... the story of my babies' graduation. Can you believe it?!

Enjoy these pictures of the pre birthday preparations... not a lot of pics were taken of the actual party, but trust me, we enjoyed being together!

My cute girls sneaked off on a Saturday to make cupcakes at Grandma's house with Aunt Missy!

Movie tickets, gummy cokes and Red Bull.. They knew they had to keep me awake through the movie!

I was given a Kindle with a giftcard for books (yay!), a beautiful necklace with all my girls' names and birthstones, and a precious journal that was my Sweet Grandmother's.

How amazing is this cake that my former sister-in-law was kind enough to make for me? It was super delicious too!

How was YOUR day?

Today is my sweet Emily's 17th birthday! That's right, a mere 13 months after having twins, Emily entered our lives and forever changed us for the better.  She's awesome, that girl!  Of the oldest three girls, Madi is our logical thinker, Carley is the artist, and Emily is our entertainer who loves any stage.  There's definitely no shortage of things to do/see/pay fees for around here. ;)

So, how DID I spend my time on this auspicious day?

I woke up early (or so I thought) to make breakfast for the birthday girl. It's kind of a tradition around here to make breakfast on birthdays. But Carley had beat me to it.. eggs were sizzling, toast was... toasting so I just threw some hashbrowns in a skillet so I could participate. Em came into the kitchen and I gave her a gift of clothing (her favorite) as I continued to make breakfast with Carley. But my favorite part of the birthday breakfast was when Hubby stumbled sleepily down the stairs and then did a sort of zombie shuffle toward Emily in order to give her a birthday hug...  (Arms straight out, knees locked as he walked.. no joke!) We all had a good laugh and then it was time for the girlies to leave for school.

The rest of the day went something like this:

Me- 2 hour appointment
Hubby- Physical Therapy for his shoulder
Me- search for something special to make for dinner
Hubby- Starving, needs lunch immediately. (whines a little more than neccessary)
Me- reassure Hubster that there's food for his lunch while waiting for my BFF from kindergarten to pick up the gazillion pretzels I made for her daughter's wedding which is the following day.
Hubby- scarf some foodage, gets ready for work, clean battery cables (I have no clue.. I don't even ask anymore)
Me- Oh crap, I need to get the birthday cake!
Hubby- kissy kissy, now off to work!
Me- Uh, what the heck to make for a special dinner?
Linzie- Won first place in the art show!
Me- CONGRATS, Linz!  Uh, the art show is today?  As in 2 hours from now??
Linz- Yeah, can you come?
Me- Of course!
Me- Still have to get pretzels to bff, still need dinner idea, still need cake! (Starting to panic)
Carley- Whatcha doin after school today, Mom?
Me- I kinda want to go to the art show.
Carley- What the crap? No one told me the art show was today!
Me- Yeah, Linz took first!
Carley- WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?!!
Me- I just did.  ;)
Carley- Em is having a bad day, Mom. She's sad.
Me- Uh.. we need to fix that.
Emily- *sob* Had a bad day, Mom.  Hopes = dashed.  Mood= squashed.
Me- No worries, Em.  We'll fix you right up!
Me- Email to bff- tried to call, have the wrong number (not such a good bff if I don't have the right number!) Art show/birthday emergency plz call me when you can.
Carley- Didja talk to Em?
Me- Yeah.. we need to fix this. Call Matt (Em's boyfriend... looooooong story there) make arrangements for Matt+balloons+milkshake to surprise Em while she is at play rehersal.
Carley- Done. But mom?  I have no money. Meet me at art show with cash?
Me- Be right there!
Me- arrive at art show only to discover that they JUST closed the silly thing! ARGH! Are you kidding me? Are you KIDDING me?!!
Linz- Sorry mom.  We can try again tomorrow?
Me- Absolutely! Sorry for being late, Linz. (sad faces all around)
Carley- I will get Matt and milkshake, you get balloons. Meet at the high school parking lot?
Me- Good plan but I need to get pizza too!
Carley- We can do that later, after the school.
Me- uh.. okay. (my puppet strings are short.. lol)
BFF- Hey, can I pick up those pretzels now?
Me- *sigh*  explaining "Operation Save The Birthday" to BFF, hoping she'll understand.
BFF- no worries! Totally understood. We'll hook up after the wedding rehersal.
Me-  sent Madi and Linz in the store to get balloons while I ordered pizzas.
Abby- Hi Mom! Are you guys done yet?
Me- Uh.. no.  But we're working on it. Meet you at the school.
Me- Balloons purchased, pizzas ordered, rush to school for Em's BIG surprise.
Me, Carley, Abby, Linzie, Madi, and Matt- patiently wait at school with balloons and milkshake as we watch Emily's rehersal.
Emily- Ohmigosh, Ohmigosh!  Yay! *sharing milkshake with every friend in the vicinity* community spoon= ick! (Birthday saved) Can friends come for pizza too?
Me- Absolutely!
Me- *thinking* crap! Still need to pick up pizza and cake. Now need ice cream, drinks, chips and other party essentials.

Kids pile into my car, kids pile into Carley's car. Balloons also in my car, community milkshake goes with Emily in Carley's car. (Boyfriend also goes with Emily.. no surprise there)

Hubby- (text message) What's up?
Me- IF YOU ONLY KNEW!

Kids dropped off, Madi and I hop back in the car for pizza, cake, ice cream, chips, dips, and drinks! (two carts went in opposite directions at the store.. we rocked it!)

Home again to the happy chaos of LOUD teenagers playing video games. Pizzas in the oven, pizzas in the kiddos. Kiddos happy, Birthday Girl happy = Mom happy.

Kitchen= disaster but worth it!

Carley- drives home 1st carload of friends.

BFF- picked up the gazillion pretzels for wedding. BFF happy = Me relieved!

Carley- drives home 2nd carload of friends.

Hugs and Goodnights all around.

Kiddos- T. I. R. E. D!

Me- T. I. R. E. D!

Another successful Flash Mob party...the first of 2011.  (But knowing us, this is only the beginning!)

So This Is Christmas/ What We've Been Up To Part One

I've been struggling lately.. actually, a month is a lot longer than lately but whatevs.  I have wanted to feel the Christmas spirit, I have worked really hard at the task... but so far, no dice. I know I shouldn't admit to that on a family blog but at least I'm trying to do the Christmasy thing.  The girls and I have been working on some secret present projects, we happily vandalized a present for my parents, and we had a huge birthday to celebrate as well. So cut me a little slack if I still wish that a certain D at Open High School would fall down a hole forever for being such a beast and I truly can't wait for Karma to catch up to that one. (The truth is that I am thrilled to be done with OHSU even if it means struggling at Christmas. D you can have all the money in the world and you'll still be a poor excuse for a human being.) 

So what exactly have the crew and I been up to?  On the 18th we celebrated Carley and Madi's 18th birthday. Where the HECK did the time go??  I thought very hard about what gifts to get them to commemorate the day and I decided on custom jewelery for them both from The Vintage Pearl. If you ever want to get something special, you need to order from them. Their pieces are beautiful and their customer service is beyond wonderful. 

Carley got a bracelet with different charms each stamped with the name of someone in our family and Madi got a beautiful necklace which also has everyone's names on it. The other part of their gift was a GPS navigator for their cars. Are you wondering how the items go together?  Here's the cheesy part:  I told the girls that the GPS was so they can always find their way in the world, and the jewelry was so that they would always be able to find their way home.  Awwww...  I know, right?  :) They changed into their new clothes and jewelry right away so I know they loved and appreciated the gifts! 

The girls wanted to visit mom on their birthday so we loaded up the Durango and headed out. Even though we are 100% able to find our way to Gma's house without a GPS device, we turned on one of the birthday gadgets to guide us there because it was fun! I can't tell you just how much I enjoy time with my family. We laugh all the time when we're together! 

My mom gave the girls special bracelets from Concord, Mass along with marble signs saying "Believe" and "Imagine" which were stunning and so thoughtful! We had to laugh when Madi stood next to Mom because Madi looked like a giant! The optical illusion is exaggerated because Madi had on heeled boots and my mom is such a lil thing.  I love this picture of the two of them together!  

Unfortunately, we couldn't stay long because Emily had a costume fitting that afternoon. We just don't get to spend enough time with extended family lately.

After the fitting, we headed to SLC to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. We wanted to try something new and none of us had ever been to that restaurant before.  One word: WOW! We had the BEST time at that birthday dinner. Everyone ordered something different and we were all sampling from each other's plates. There was not a bad dish among us! Ordinarily we never order dessert but it was The Cheesecake Factory, right?  So even though everyone was full to capacity, we each ordered a different flavor of cheesecake and the sharing continued thanks to a few handfuls of extra forks that our fabulous waiter, Bill, brought to us.  My poor hubby was groaning when we left (Don't get between him and his tastebuds!) but we couldn't quit talking about what a wonderful time we had that afternoon. 

Later that night we watched some fun family flicks.. Despicable Me is a seriously cute movie! Overall, I was so happy with the entire day. I hope that Carley and Madi will always remember their 18th birthday with fondness and know without a doubt how much they are loved!

Part two coming soon! In the meantime, enjoy these individual pics that Carley took of everyone at the restaurant. :)  

Birthday Girl Madi

Birthday Girl Carley

Emily Nicole

Linzie Savanna

Abby Julia

The Mom

Shnookums

What Happened In 1992?

January 1992

Wednesday 01:

George H. W. Bush becomes the first President of the United States of America to address the Australian Parliament.

Saturday 11:

Paul Simon is the first major artist to tour South Africa after the end of the cultural boycott.

Sunday 12:

A new constitution, providing for freedom to form political parties, is approved by referendum in Mali.

Thursday 16:

El Salvador officials and rebel leaders sign the Chapultepec Peace Accords in Mexico City that ends a 12-year civil war that claimed at least 75,000.

Wednesday 22:

STS-42: Dr. Roberta Bondar becomes the first Canadian woman in space.

» January 1992

February 1992

Saturday 01:

The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal court declares Warren Anderson, ex-CEO of Union Carbide, a fugitive under Indian law for failing to appear in the Bhopal Disaster case.

Friday 07:

The European Union is formed.

Monday 10:

In Indianapolis, Indiana boxer Mike Tyson is convicted of raping a Miss Black America contestant named Desiree Washington.

Monday 17:

A court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin sentences serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to life in prison.

Wednesday 26:

Xocali slaughter. More than 600 people of the town of Xocali, Azerbaijan, are killed by Armenian forces during war in Karabakh.

» February 1992

March 1992

Monday 02:

Moldova joins the UN

Friday 13:

In eastern Turkey, an earthquake registering 6.8 on the Richter scale kills over 500.

Tuesday 17:

A suicide car-bomb kills 29 and injures 242 at the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Wednesday 25:

Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev returns to Earth after a 10-month stay aboard the Mir space station.

Tuesday 31:

The television news program Dateline NBC premieres.

» March 1992

April 1992

Sunday 05:

Siege of Sarajevo begins when Serb paramilitaries murder peace protestor Suada Dilberovic on the Skenderija Bridge.

Thursday 09:

John Major wins the UK general election.

Thursday 16:

The Katina P. runs aground off of Maputo, Mozambique. 60,000 tons of crude oil spill into the ocean.

Monday 20:

An all-star concert in memory of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is held at Wembley Stadium in London.

Wednesday 29:

1992 Los Angeles riots: Riots in Los Angeles, California, follow the acquittal of police officers charged with excessive force in the beating of Rodney King. Over the next three days 54 people are killed and hundreds of buildings are destroyed.

» April 1992

May 1992

Thursday 07:

Three employees at a McDonald's Restaurant in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada are brutally murdered and a fourth permanently disabled after a botched robbery. It is the first fast-food murder in Canada.

Saturday 16:

STS-49: Space Shuttle Endeavour lands safely after a successful maiden voyage.

Sunday 17:

In Thailand, the so-called Black May begins. Thai police and protestors start attacking one another. By midnight, the current Thai government declares a state of emergency, and military troops, equipped with M-16 rifles, open fire.

Friday 22:

After 30 years, 66-year-old Johnny Carson hosts The Tonight Show for the last time.

Sunday 24:

The last Thai dictator, General Suchinda Kraprayoon, resigns following pro-democracy protests.

» May 1992

June 1992

Monday 08:

The first World Ocean Day is celebrated, coinciding with the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Saturday 13:

The Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League logged the first (and, to date, only) shutout in league history, defeating the San Antonio Force, 50-0.

Monday 15:

The United States Supreme Court rules in US vs. Alvarez-Machain that it is permissible for the USA to abduct suspects in foreign countries and bring them to the USA for trial, without approval from those other countries. No reciprocal right is recognized for the reverse to happen in the USA.

Wednesday 17:

A 'Joint Understanding' agreement on arms reduction is signed by U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin (this would be later codified in START II).

Tuesday 23:

Yitzhak Rabin wins the Israeli parlamentary elections..

» June 1992

July 1992

Thursday 09:

Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton announces that Al Gore will be his running mate.

Friday 10:

In Miami, Florida, former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega is sentenced to 40 years in prison for drug and racketeering violations.

Tuesday 14:

A major fire consumes an entire city block in tourist destination Gatlinburg, Tennessee, destroying the "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!" Museum and several other local businesses and attractions in the process.

Monday 20:

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9's Fragment Q1 hits Jupiter.

Friday 31:

A Thai Airways Airbus A300-310 crashes into mountain south of Kathmandu, Nepal killing 113.

» July 1992

August 1992

Wednesday 12:

Canada, Mexico and the United States announce completion of negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Tuesday 18:

NBA basketball player Larry Bird announces his retirement after winning an Olympic gold medal as a member of the U.S. Dream Team.

Sunday 23:

Hurricane Andrew hits South Florida.

Monday 24:

Hurricane Andrew hits South Florida

Monday 31:

Pascal Lissouba is inaugurated as the President of the Republic of the Congo after a multiparty presidential election, ending a long history of one-party oppressive rule under the Congolese Workers Party.

» August 1992

September 1992

Friday 11:

Hurricane Iniki, one of the most damaging hurricane in United States history during its time, devastates the State of Hawai'i, especially the islands of Kaua'i and Oahu.

Saturday 12:

Abimael Guzmán, leader of the Shining Path, is captured by Peruvian special forces; shortly thereafter the rest of Shining Path's leadership fell as well.

Wednesday 16:

Black Wednesday: the Pound Sterling is forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism by currency speculators and is forced to devalue against the Deutschmark.

Friday 18:

Nine formerly pro-Albanian marxist-leninist parties hold a conference in Strassburg, Germany.

Tuesday 29:

Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello resigns.

» September 1992

October 1992

Sunday 04:

An El Al Boeing 747-200F crashes into two apartment buildings in Amsterdam, killing 43 including 38 on the ground. See Bijlmerramp

Thursday 15:

In Russia, Andrei Chikatilo is found guilty of 52 serial murders.

Friday 23:

Akihito becomes the first Emperor of Japan to stand on Chinese soil.

Saturday 24:

The Toronto Blue Jays become the first non-US team to win the World Series. This is also known as the first real "World" Series.

Thursday 29:

The Food and Drug Administration approves Depo Provera for use as a contraceptive in the United States.

» October 1992

November 1992

Tuesday 03:

U.S. presidential election: Democratic challenger Bill Clinton defeats incumbent Republican George H.W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot.

Thursday 05:

In Detroit, Michigan, black motorist Malice Green is beaten to death by policemen Larry Nevers and Walter Budzyn during a struggle.

Thursday 12:

Absolutely Fabulous airs its first episode on BBC1.

Friday 20:

In England, a fire breaks out in the Private Chapel room of Windsor Castle, rages for 15 hours, and seriously damages the northwest side of the building (an investigation found that the fire was ignited after a spotlight came into contact with a curtain over an extended period).

Tuesday 24:

In the People's Republic of China, a China Southern Airlines domestic flight crashes, killing all 141 people on-board.

» November 1992

December 1992

Thursday 03:

The Greek oil tanker Aegean Sea carrying 80,000 tonnes of crude oil runs aground in a storm while on approach to La Coruña, Spain, and spills much of its cargo.

Friday 04:

President George H. W. Bush orders 28,000 US troops to Somalia.

Saturday 05:

Kent Conrad of North Dakota resigns his seat in the United States Senate and is sworn into the other seat from North Dakota, becoming the only US Senator ever to have held two seats on the same day.

Wednesday 09:

US Marines land in Somalia

Thursday 31:

In the last of the great ITV franchise renewals, Thames Television, Television South West and Television South cease broadcasting, replaced by Carlton Television, Westcountry Television and Meridian Television respectively.

Friday 18:
Carley M'lyssa and Catherine Madison were born!

Happy Birthday my sweet girls!!

SEVEN Days!

This is one of my all time favorite pictures!

In seven days, these adorable babies will be 18 years old.  EIGHTEEN!  I can't even stand it. They will always be my very first little girls, the ones I practice my parenting skills on as we head into uncharted waters, and above all else... my very first besties!

Now I need to figure out what fun things we can do for their birthday next Saturday!

Lovelies, Laughter and Littles

I haven't blogged much since returning from Massachusetts because I have been so busy with family, work and life in general. It's a hard thing to go away for a week and then come back to the regular schedule PLUS everything that languished while I was gone. (I admit, I've had a few glitches and meltdowns, but it is mostly work related schtuff.) It's good to be home though... back to my busy, noisy, and sometimes cluttered life. I wouldn't trade my problems for anyone else's!

The leaves here are brilliant and fall sometimes nips in the air but overall it has still been a wacky, unseasonably warm fall. (With some snow thrown in for kicks.)  I managed to coordinate the schedules of all the girlies so I could take them up the canyon for some fall pictures. The leaves are nothing like Massachusetts and Vermont colors, but I was happy with the cute pictures I captured of my besties. We left the canyon with red noses and red ears, but we were laughing and enjoying being together and that's the real purpose anyway.

 

These are just a few of the group shots. We took a lot of individual portraits which included laying/sitting in the middle of a bridge.. we had to work fast and scamper out of the way every time a vehicle came down the mountain! I had so much fun with my girls that evening! 

A few days prior to our photo shoot was Halloween, and my lovelies transformed themselves into adorable /spooky characters before going Trick or Treating around the neighborhood, in the drizzle, with favorite cousins alongside them. It chokes me up to think of my girlies as grown up.. I wish I could keep them little forever!

Photo shoots, kids' school events, Halloween and housework! What a busy, busy schedule we have maintained lately! It hasn't always been easy to juggle home and work, especially since my work is ridiculously demanding. Anyone that knows me, knows that work can and will consume me if I let it. So I have been making a conscious effort to avoid phone calls and email after 5PM on Fridays and I love the positive change this has brought about! 

This weekend I was so busy that there was no time for extended work hours and hundreds of work-related emails. (Just say NO!) You see, our favorite little guy is turning 4 and we simply had to throw him a party on Friday. I decided it would be so much fun to take him to the store and let him choose his own cake. (Don't panic, he was adorable in the store!) He wasn't too picky.. one look at his twinkling eyes and the immediate grip he had on the closest cake he could reach proved to me that to a 4 year old, cake is cake! He didn't care what color or flavor.. he just wanted it NOW.  We gently persuaded him to get Iron Man and How to Train Your Dragon cupcakes before heading to the ice cream aisle which, judging by Jack's reaction, was akin to finding the Holy Grail. He ran from one frosty door to another, always reaching in for something. I didn't stop him. Not. Even. Once. We must have looked like sugar addicts when we unloaded the sweets from our cart, but I didn't care. I enjoyed every minute of it!

Later that evening, we laughed until we cried and our cheeks hurt from smiling so much. There was a wonderful Birthday Serenade from Lily, accompanied by Abby and Linzie on the violin and viola, followed by two more rounds of Happy Birthday from the entire group. We played pirates, terrorized the dogs with the remote control ATV, and convinced Jack to flap around in his Dragon jammies while we cheered him on! Our little fella, Jack, was so sweet the entire night! Everyone could tell he was exhausted, even as he fluttered about the room giving his best Dragon impression, but he didn't want to miss a thing so he fought to keep his little eyes open until he said his final goodbye, snug in his car seat, headed for home. I heard he was asleep as soon as his mom rolled up the window. (We missed them as soon as they were gone.) 

I also heard that our Jackers wreaked a little havoc the following morning when he drove Sambo (His shiny, new remote control ATV that we gave him) into Gma's ankles. oops!  So sorry, Mom! The thing is, we should rename it the "Remote NO Control" because Jack really has no idea how to steer.. he just loves watching it take off and then he chases it down. 

Our weekend continued with a family trip to the movie theater on Saturday. CODE: We went and saw Megamind and it was rockin' awesome! I sat by Missy and we laughed like little kids. I highly recommend the movie to grown ups as well as the little ones. It has something for everyone! Back at our house we laughed all night as we spoke "Megamind" to each other and enjoyed a dinner of Parmesan Halibut, Lobster and French Dip Sandwiches for the kidlets. (Bill and I took the evening's menu straight from Taggert's Grill menu because we love cooking at home more than going out to eat.)

The only bad part about the whole weekend was the slight emergency Saturday morning when Hubby shouted "OH Sh*!" at 6AM, fully yanking me out of sleep. When I asked him what was wrong, he informed me that he had just mistakenly drank the Hydrogen Peroxide on his nightstand instead of his water bottle. (the hydrogen peroxide was only there in the first place because of his misfortune in Hawaii. CODE: He jumped head first into a shallow pool and was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital to be put back together Humpty Dumpty style.) Fear and panic gripped me because I had no idea what damage was already occurring from consuming something that I assumed was caustic and toxic. 

Long story short, I called Poison Control and was informed that they get this call about 5-7 times every week. I was instructed to force him to drink water and keep an eye on him because he was likely going to be very sick.  We eventually got him settled back in bed and he fell alseep, but I stayed awake to keep an eye on him.. in case.  Once again, Bill's luck is amazing.  (well, not the luck of drinking the stuff in the first place!) He never got very sick and we are laughing about it now. Trust me, my guy is extremely smart and he teaches me new things all the time.. I just can't figure out how he gets himself into these strange emergencies! I just need to be more vigilant and keep an eye on him at all times or he will find creative ways to get hurt. 

Wrapping up our weekend, we finally admitted that the gardening is done for the year and we put the veggie garden to bed. I am still irked that we had so many late tomatoes this year.. we threw away buckets of green ones! We put down steer compost (when I say "we", I really mean Hubby! I don't want to touch the stuff!) and trimmed branches. I love the way everything looks fresh and new.  We had another bad year as far as yield goes, but we have a plan to improve the soil (Don't trust J&J's when they tell you to put Bat Guano in a garden!) and I have my fingers crossed that next year will be better! 

It was an awesome weekend, thanks to my lovelies! Let's do it again, shall we?  MUAH!

Happy Birthday, Frick & Frack!

You have both heard the story of your birth at least a thousand times. You both know that it is a miracle you are here.. happy, healthy and bringing so much joy to those around you. As your mom, I delight in watching you grow up, but I have to admit there is a tiny bit of sadness when I fondly recall those kissable chubby toddler cheeks, the tiny hands that would grasp mine so tightly, and how I was the only one you wanted when you were hurt or sad.  

(Although I never want you to hurt, I always want to be the one you turn to when you need a shoulder to cry on!) 


I never get tired of watching the way you interact with each other. From the way you twine your feet together and swing them back and forth, to playfully chasing each other around the house with the Swiffer. "I'm going to Swiffer youuuuuurrrrr faaaaaaaace!" You girls are everything that sisters should be! It makes me happy to imagine you continuing to be best friends for the rest of your lives. 


Abby Julia, you have your great-grandma's looks and what a wonderful legacy that is! (I know you and Linz are identical twins, but everyone agrees that it is you that looks like Grandma Robinson.. I don't know why that is!) Grandma R. loved to tell people that you carry on the name of our ancestor, Julia Abby. I didn't name you that way on purpose, but I think it is really cool! I hope that you will continue to build on your family's legacy by continuing with your music. You play the viola beautifully and it makes me so proud! I absolutely love your laughter and the way that you are such a great helper.

Linzie Savanna, we often joke that you are the other mom because you take such excellent care of everyone around you! I love the way you are so task oriented and your hard work shows in everything you do!  Your humor and antics make me laugh every day. (You are seriously one of the funniest people I know!) I love the way you are so kind and loving toward everyone around you, especially your identical twin.  Your heart is mighty!

It's hard to imagine that two years from now you will both be driving, four years from now you will be off to college, and eventually you will have families of your own. I can't wait to see the wonderful things you will each accomplish in your lives. No matter what, never forget that I will always be here to celebrate your triumphs, wipe your tears, hug you tightly every chance I get, and support you in every way possible.

We had a rough year, but we weathered it together. I am certain that the year ahead will be much better and next year we will look back with nothing but fond memories! 

I love you my littlest chickens!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Last of the Thirteen from Carley Yelrac on Vimeo.

 

A Month To Remember

Most people think of November as the month of giving thanks. But I feel overwhelming gratitude in September because of the miracles that I was given 14 years ago. I was only 25 years old and I had to make huge decisions on behalf of my unborn babies who were fighting a battle for their lives. 

Dr. Troy Porter - Maternal & Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology

Dr. Porter was the one who noticed something was wrong with my twins at just 8 weeks gestation. He told me that my little Abby was "stuck."  I couldn't understand what he was telling me.  Stuck on what??  His online bio says that he has been practicing for 16 years, which means he had only been practicing for 2 years when he diagnosed me. I always felt calm when Dr. Porter was around. He had a great way of explaining things to me in a way I could understand.

What is TTTS?

• -Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) is a disease of the placenta (or afterbirth) that affects identical twin pregnancies.
• -TTTS affects identical twins (or higher multiple gestations) who share a common monochorionic placenta.
• -The shared placenta contains abnormal blood vessels which connect the umbilical cord and circulations of the twins.
• -The common placenta may also be shared unequally by the twins
• -The events in pregnancy that lead to TTTS are all random.
• -TTTS is not hereditary or genetic, nor caused by anything the parents did or did not do.
• -TTTS can happen to anyone.

 As fate would have it, I had heard about an experiemental procedure to help with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. A woman in Idaho had the surgery and I had been talking to her husband on a Twins message board. I knew without a doubt what needed to be done.

 I was 18 weeks pregnant when we flew to Milwaukee to have laser surgery to save my babies' lives. I was only the 23rd patient to ever undergo this procedure which was considered experimental.

Julian E. De Lia, MD, FACOG, FACS 

Dr. De Lia began investigating TTTS in 1983 and pioneered fetoscopic placental laser surgery in 1988 at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. He subsequently brought his life-saving surgery to Wisconsin and Illinois.

I have no doubt that Dr. DeLia saved my babies.  He pioneered the surgery right here at the University of Utah, but I had to travel to Milwaukee to have the surgery. Abby's middle name is Julia in honor of him. 

I was ordered on bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy so that my precious girls could have the best fighting chance. As I was recovering from surgery, I was interviewed for a twin support group. 

How were you diagnosed?

Nikki: The main complication I had was that baby B was "stuck", meaning she had no fluid around her (shrinkwrapped in her sac) so she couldn't move much at all. This is actually how TTTS was diagnosed for us. We were originally told that our twins were monoamniotic because they couldn't see the second sac. So, I would put a flag out to all parents who are told that they have monoamniotic twins.. This is a big indicator of TTTS and it usually turns out that there are indeed two sacs. 
The treatments can vary from monitoring, to serial amneiosentisis to laser surgery. Share your experience:

Nikki: The complications for the babies hadn't shown up in our case yet (thankfully). The problems from TTTS are that the bigger baby who is getting all the blood would eventually die of heart failure because of trying to pump too much volume with every beat of its heart. Baby B, who is shunting all the blood, would eventually die of lack of nourishment. Suprisingly though, when TTTS occurs later in pregnancy (late enough for the babies to be delivered), the smaller baby is usually the healthier of the two.. The heart problems are the most difficult to deal with once the problem is there.
The treatments can vary from monitoring, to serial amneiosentisis to laser surgery. Share your experience: 
Nikki:There are two methods of treating TTTS.. The most effective is the surgery because it treats the cause of TTTS.. Dr. Julian De Lia is the doctor and he now practices in Chicago. The surgery is still in the "research" phase though De Lia has it all routine now. It takes about 17-25 minutes to actually get in there and get the job done. The other method is serial amniocentesis (spelling most likely wrong).. This is where they draw fluid off of the bigger baby every 2 or 3 days in hopes of keeping the uterus stable.. Sometimes it even seems to help the situation in that the smaller baby (for reasons unknown) actually starts doing better. The problem here is that couples who think the surgery is their best option should have absolutely NO invasive action taken prior to the surgery. The reason is that every time the uterus is punctured for the amnio, scar tissue builds and sometimes bleeding into the fluid occurs.. Dr. De Lia needs absolutely clear and uncontaminated fluid and a smooth surface to operate with. We figured that if the surgery was not successful then we could try the amnio. Luckily for us, the surgery seems to have been 100% effective. We were diagnosed with TTTS when I was 16 weeks along.
I am not sure what the babies were weighing at the time, but I do know that they were 2 weeks apart in gestational size and the gap was increasing. We are now right on track with Linzie (Our bigger baby A) weighing around 1.5 lbs, and Abby (Donor baby B) weighing about 1.25 lbs. They are each around 12 inches long. They are still about 10 days apart in size, at 26 weeks gestation.

My second set of twins were born on September 27, 1996. They were 8 weeks early because Abby had stopped growing when the placenta finally gave out. As a mother, I had done everything I could for them. I had to let go and put my faith in a Higher Power and the skilled professionals caring for them in the NICU.

Within hours of their birth, Linzie was taken under this man's expert care.   

Robert E. Shaddy, MD

Chief, Division of Cardiology

Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Immediately he became Linzie's angel on Earth and the love we have for this man will never end. We owe her beautiful life to his expert care. He was so much more than just her cardiologist. He was our friend. The many children in Pennsylvania are so lucky to have him there. We love Dr. Shaddy! 

It was a brutal month of highs and lows before we were finally able to bring them both home. Surprisingly, even with her heart issues and being the smallest baby to ever have that type of heart surgery at PCMC, Linzie came home first. The Mama Bear in me fought to have Abby released 3 days later because I knew in my heart that she would finally start to gain weight once she was reunited with Linzie. Immediately after they were born, Linzie was life-flighted to PCMC and they had been in separate hospitals ever since. I am so thankful the doctors trusted me because my little Peanut started gaining nearly a pound a week once she was able to snuggle her twin every day. They were inseperable!

*A rare procedure to save a mother's twin daughters has paid off for a Salt Lake woman. 

*(KSL spelled Abby and Linzie's name wrong and I am no longer a "Randquist") 

Did all of that really happen to me? Fourteen years later, I am amazed as I think back on how huge the decisions were and how lucky we are that we had a happy ending. Two happy, healthy girls to complete my family. I am a lucky mom indeed! 

Birthdays BBQs and Hawaii - Oh MY!

We have been living a car insurance slogan over the last week and there simply has not been time to sit down and properly document everything. But no matter how busy life gets, one thing is constant and true -  I adore my family! My husband and girls are the best gift anyone could ever wish for and even though we have our ups and downs, as everyone does, we are livin' the good life right here, right now!

Here are just a few of the highlights from our busy, busy week!

Life Comes At You Fast!

• Ashley flew in from Georgia. Yay!
• Finally made the decision to spend my inheritance from Grandpa Robinson on a new lens for my camera. I think he would be pleased that we are constantly documenting our journey on this trip we call life.
• Memorial Day cemetery road trip on my 39th birthday- I loaded all 6 of the kiddos in the Durango and we drove to Brigham City, Logan and Smithfield to place flowers on the graves of our departed loved ones.
• A mere 6 hours later we rushed home to hold a celebratory birthday bbq at our house. Tons of fun and the food was excellent! Can I just say that I LOVE hanging out on our beautiful deck and sharing lots of laughter with family and friends?
• Monday morning - more cemetery trips. This time we went to the cemetery where Grandma and Grandpa Robinson were laid to rest. That one still hurts and probably always will. I miss them every day! The flowers were beyond beautiful though, and although the concession stands at the cemetery were a little odd, the bagpipes were a very nice touch.
• Girls were sick so we had to cut the cemetery trip short. :( We came home and chilled out, which means no one really remembers what we did. haha!
• Back to school for the girls and I on Tuesday.. bleh. We just had to get through the week!
• Tuesday was also Bill's birthday! We grilled (again) and then played Mario Kart. Good times!                                           Happy4-Oh sweetheart!
• SYTYCD!! Oh Yeah! Bring it on! We love to watch this dance series in the summer. That is good quality family time right there.
• More sniffles, coughs, aches and ickness. :(
• Have we spent enough time on our deck yet? No? How about the first brick oven pizza night of the year then? Shaweet!
• What? You want to have "Mexican Food Night" at our house tomorrow? Sounds like a good time! Margaritas anyone?
• Telestrations! If you have not played this game, we highly recommend it! Where else will you have to be able to draw and understand things such as: Whale Fly, Giant Flying Squid, Stink Death, Wheelchair Factory, Fish Murderer AND Led Zepplin? Seriously, we laughed until we were sick!
• Mario and more Mario. Summer fun is here and we are enjoying it!
• HAWAII IN FIVE DAYS!! It is going to be a tough week to endure, but by this time next week we will be chillaxin on The Big Island! I am certain that the pics and stories will make for some great blogging, so stay tuned!

CeLeBrAtE!

After the Hell On Wheels week I just wrapped up, (Last week of school and awards banquet, need I say more?) I can think of nothing better than gathering up as many of my lovelies as I can find and chillin' on the deck while Bill grills up something tasty and my little bro affectionately calls him "Stupid."

Heaven!

Actually, my little bro calls Bill something else too, but it is not fit for print. The hilarious thing is that these two really like each other. It all started when we were discussing great movies one night and Ty said to me, "I have this movie I need to bring over so you guys can watch it. It is SOOOO Stupid! Bill would LOVE it!"  I cracked up on the spot, the implication being that Bill is a stupid guy who can relate to stupid movies.  Ever since then, Bill and Ty call each other names and it never fails to entertain.

Tomorrow happens to be my birthday, and even though I generally dislike birthdays (Can't think of one that ever treated me well) I am so in the mood for a family gathering. My excuse? Two days later it is Bill's birthday and he will be the big 4-Oh! You can see a fun tribute I made for him here. So I have asked family to come over to celebrate after we spend the morning visiting cemeteries for Memorial Day. I am hoping it will be the perfect cure for my recently completed Hell Week.

Here's to hoping! I'll let you know how it turns out.

Cue Madonna's "Celebrate" and fade to black. 

Forty Six Seconds After Midnight

Four or five years ago Emily went on a youth camping trip and I was asked to write her a letter that she would be given on the last night around the campfire. Unfortunately, the leaders goofed and didn't give her the letter that night. It still hurts me to think of my little girl sitting around that fire, watching the other girls read their letters from their parents, thinking she didn't have one. I can imagine her making some light comment about how she was fine, it is all right, etc. Emily is like that. She keeps her emotions hidden, for the most part, unless it is happiness or abundance, and those she simply has too much of to keep bottled up and is almost always bouncy, happy and silly.

I digress.

Anyway, when Em came home from that camping trip, I couldn't wait to hear what she thought of her letter because I had poured my heart out to her in it. For a split second I saw sadness in her eyes when she said, "What letter? I didn't get one." I was mad! I started calling leaders until I found the person who admitted she had the letter and had forgotten to give it to Emily when the rest of the girls were all enjoying their own letters from home. I arranged to have it brought to our house and I gave it to Emily myself, which is the best way to deliver such sentiment anyway! Emily read the letter and I could tell she appreciated what I said about her in it. It made me so happy!

But there's more to the story of the letter.

Not that long ago, Carley lost her phone and we were helping her search the house for it. Since Carley and Emily are best buddies, I thought that Emily's room was the likely place it would be found. I searched the floor, the nightstand, the top of the dresser, and then I decided to start shaking out the bed, one blanket at a time. Keep in mind that this mom does not make beds for the girls. They have been in charge of their own domains since they were old enough to understand consequences for chores left undone. Needless to say, I had not had any reason previously to move Emily's pillows. But on that day, when I moved her pillows to the floor, I was stunned. There under her pillow, was the letter that I had written her years before. Just writing about it chokes me up! My little girl placed so much importance on my thoughts and words that she kept them in the place where they would be near her while she dreamed. How's that for sentiment? I may have written the letter, but Emily turned it into a treasure.

That's my girl. She is completely amazing in the way she continually surprises me. She has this goofy exterior that keeps people guessing about what is going on inside. But I know the truth. She has a heart of gold and she carefully protects it from the outside world, much as the greatest treasures are carefully kept around the world. Hidden and protected, even though we know it is there.

When Emily was born, I was wary of the chaos that had surrounded Carley and Madison's birth just 13 months prior. I was adamant that I wanted none of that this time and I told my family that this time it would just be the key players at the hospital but that they could visit later. The doctor induced me around 6 in the evening but warned that it would likely be a long labor.He reasoned that because Carley and Madi were born via C-section, it would be just like a first time mother in labor and the body would take time adjusting to it. HA! He had no idea (Nor did I!) just who was about to make her grand entrance into the world. The doctor was expecting me to be in labor for 12 hours or more. Emily had different plans.

In true Emily fashion, she was born a mere 46 seconds after midnight. The doctor almost didn't make it there in time. He told us that he had just gone to bed when he got the call to return. Thankfully he was there though, because there was a terrifying few minutes when the nurse announced that she was losing Emily's vitals. Something was very wrong. Emily's cord was wrapped around her neck twice and the life was being strangled out of her. There were shouted commands, nurses running in and out of the room, and just as I began to panic, Emily wailed and announced her presence to the world.

Forty six seconds after midnight, January 10th, 1994. My life would never be the same.


Emily had this amazing ability to wrap people around her tiny fingers. Carley and Madi were in awe of her. Who was this little creature who rarely cried, smiled so huge that her face transformed, and who loved smacking and pulling hair, much to the delighted giggles and pained screams of her older twin sisters? Grandma Thomas warned us that it is the quiet ones you have to be careful of, presumably because they would turn into terrors as they grew up.

Emily was definitely precocious. She knew what she wanted and would settle for nothing less. NO was not a word in her vocabulary. In fact, if you told her no, she would smile sweetly, do what she wanted anyway, and then return for a hug. It was as if she was saying, "Oh silly mother! I understand you have a job to do. Just don't move and I will be there to apologize in a minute." She was never a "bad" girl, she was just busy and wanted to explore everything. Looking back on it now, I have to smile because she is still a lot like that, and I try not to tell her no.

Emily hasn't had an easy childhood in any sense. She was hospitalized several times as an infant for RSV, asthma and pneumonia. The doctor's couldn't give us a reason for her respiratory problems and we spent many nights making emergency trips to PCMC when our baby girl was in distress. But there was a bigger medical issue lurking that we didn't understand and Emily's life was in constant peril because of it. She had survived all of the respiratory ailments and an operation to open her tear ducts, but when she began having frightening swelling and redness around her mouth and eyes, no one could understand it. I will never forget sitting in the doctor's waiting room with my 2 year old Emily whose eyes were bruised looking and swollen shut. Other parents glared accusingly at me - they probably thought she had been abused. The doctors told us that day that she probably got soap in her eyes. They flushed her eyes, gave her benedryl and sent us home. It would take several more terrifying trips to the doctor before we figured out what it was that made Emily swell so terribly.

Peanut Allergy.

I don't remember the exact moment of the epiphany, but I do know that our lives changed forever when we finally figured it out. Emily could not eat, touch or even smell peanuts or peanut products without triggering an immediate and severe allergic reaction. Unfortunately, because it had taken us so long to figure it out, her little body reacted by going into anaphylactic shock when she was exposed to peanuts. We had to declare war on peanuts.

I refer to it as a war because I never fought so hard to make people understand. No one wanted to believe us! Emily had to endure taunting from classmates, parent helpers purposely putting her in harm's way (here, hold a peanut butter coated pine cone!)and even a school secretary who had the nerve to tell me that she personally saw Emily eat a peanut butter cookie and therefore knew that Emily was not allergic. EXCUSE ME? Not possible lady! I remember telling her that I'd like to see her approach someone in a wheelchair and tell them that she knew they were faking. I didn't waste much time on her though. I called the district and brought the war to them. That secretary retired a short time later, but not before she tearfully apologized to me. I know she truly felt remorseful about what she had done, but I was not sorry to see her go. I like to think that by laying all the groundwork for Emily to be safe in school, maybe we made it easier for another allergic child somewhere down the road.

Emily started her first year of High School this year and it is the first time in many years that I have not asked for a meeting with the school staff to put safety measures in place that would protect Emily from potentially deadly exposure to peanuts at school. It is important for me that Emily learn to manage her own health so that she will always be OK. I can't always be there to protect my girl, so I must trust her to be vigilant on her own. But the truth is that I will always worry about her.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are everywhere and they are our nemesis, even if they are delicious! Mistakes can happen anywhere, even in our own home. We unknowingly brought peanut chip cookies into our home one year(a Christmas plate of goodies) and we nearly lost our Em that night when she ate a bite. I will forever be grateful for my brave husband who didn't hesitate to inject Emily with the epinephrine that saved her life. I never want to go through that again so be careful, Emily!

One of Emily's greatest qualities is her gift for entertaining. She loves to sing, act and make people smile any way that she can. She has a great group of friends who are much like her that way, and we have been treated to many occasions when they all burst into song together, laugh and dance around the room. Great kids! I have many great memories of show choir concerts, plays and other events where Emily performed and made us all so proud!



Emily, you are one of the sweetest people I have ever known. You are almost always happy and have a gift for cheering up everyone around you. I love the way your happiness and silly antics are contagious! You were not given the nickname of "Happiness Concentrate" for nothing. I hope that you always have the courage to follow your dreams, and don't be afraid to dream big. I adore your smile, your laughter, your hugs, and the way you like to kiss people on the nose when they are sad. You are the light of our family and we are so grateful for your wacky personality! You have an inner strength that not many people possess - always use it to do good things in life. Continue to share your happiness and strength with those around you and you will always be blessed.

I love you, sweet girl! Happy 16th Birthday!!!!