Happy Birthday Jon!

This was last year...great friends and lots of fun...

But now, I've got this problem...

...he went to college and I can't make him his birthday breakfast on the "You are special today" plate...

You see, October is Jon's month. He turned 19, oh my, on the 21st. The girls and Daniel got to go to Corvallis to help him celebrate...I had a very sick puppy to care for.

The first birthday I got to help him celebrate, his dad and I with some dear friends took him to Disneyland for the first time. He was turning 5. I didn't get to be with him for his day as I still lived in L.A., but I sent some gifts including a wonderful soccer, football, basketball set just the right size for a 5-year-old guy. By the time he was 6, I was there and making breakfast, hosting parties and creating fun birthday cakes. I think the Zorro birthday and maybe the Boot Camp birthday were my favorites...so fun.

He got his new, red Schwinn when he turned 10...joy!

By the time he was in his teens, the cakes turned into brownies

or cobblers like this one below for his 17th.

Happy Birthday Jon. You have my heart and I love you.

Sweet Cupcake...

Cupcake and Buttercup

See the sweet one on the left? ...Cupcake... We almost lost her last week, some sort of gastro bad thing that required I.V.s and antibiotics and doctor's care. Thank the Lord for wonderful veterinarians.

What is it about these sweet animals that so touches our hearts? God didn't have to make dogs...but He did.

I think they are tough and brave...

I think my kids are tough and brave... I never had to have braces. Doesn't it look ...well, icky and painful? And to top it off, they have to deal with it for years and only trained medical professionals can get rid of the things. I think they're amazing...my kids, not the braces.

ballet firsts...

This is Livie's first day of ballet this year... so sweet...

This is Hope's very first day of ballet... be still my heart...

Now she can do her own bun...isn't it beautiful?

ballet buddies

then...

and now...I have begged them to stop growing...

remembering...

Pandas on the move...

The little clear panda carrier you see was specially designed by Hope for Livie's panda. It is made entirely of clear packing tape. There is a handle and a convenient neck cut-out for the little one's comfort.

These little guys are very busy at our house...

(I understand the chip looking items are really pot pie...mmmmm....)

One of the fun things I never imagined when I was dreaming of being a mom was all the delightful vignettes I'd find throughout the day... I think my girls will be wonderful moms.

twirling princesses!

Ava and Livie...

girlfriends and princesses...the best of all worlds.

Granny's piano

We've always loved Granny's piano.

It had a room without doors all to itself...glorious! Beautiful music would stream from that room through the whole house and into the neighborhood. Granny plays every day. And, when we came over, we played...even MacGyver! There's just something wonderful about playing a baby grand.

Some years the children would prepare a Christmas program complete with scripture, songs, cookies and hot chocolate...the hot chocolate is for Grandfather.

Just this last summer we had a concert with Hope, Elise and Livia...voice, dance, violin and a bit of piano. ...alas...I didn't bring my camera that evening....big mistake. It was wonderful.

But Granny and Grandfather decided to move to Arizona...and Granny decided not to bring her piano. She offered it to us...oh my! We tried to get her to reconsider as we knew how much she enjoyed her piano. But then, she got herself another baby grand when she got to Arizona and I knew we could happily receive her precious gift.

Now, my old, 90 years old, piano has been a place of joy in our living room for years... But, it needs work...like most of us old gals.

We called the best piano movers... So, she was lovingly wrapped...

and the old gal went upstairs to be enjoyed until she can be rebuilt.

and...Granny's beautiful baby grand found a new home in our home... (I find I cannot walk by without wanting to play...and I usually succumb to the temptation...)

and Granny is welcome to play...anytime.

Thank you, thank you Granny.

sunny volunteer

a volunteer in my rose garden...face toward the morning sun...

(a reminder for me to keep my face toward the Son...)

welcome, welcome

lovely one...

Be sure to leave a seed or two for next year...

Her own violin...

We took a lovely Saturday afternoon in Portland...

Met Miss Ruth at the violin shop...

She can make any violin sound wonderful...

They played and listened and felt the music deep inside...

They chose well...

His eye...

His eye is on the sparrow...

And I know He watches me.

(This hymn is especially wonderful as it was sung for Hope's dedication service by dear friends Heather and Arleen... and another dear one, Chris, touches hearts with his lovely high tenor...)

firsts and the piano...

This is the first day we saw our sweet Livia...

This is her first piano lesson...

Miss Ruth has a lovely way with my little one... (My piano teacher was also "Ruth...")

sweet...

Happy daughter...

making music...

The 5th best-hardest thing...

Saying “yes” to Jesus,

(I was a whole 7 years old...)

Saying “yes” to Daniel (& Jon),..

Saying “yes” to children...

Saying “yes” to adoption...

I guess saying “yes” to homeschooling

is the 5th best/hardest thing I’ve done.