Brooklyn & Damma's B-day Party!

Last evening we killed two birds with one stone. Brook's mom, (aka."Damma" to my kids) turned the big 60 on Tuesday. We acted like it was just a birthday party for Brooklyn, but in reality we invited a few "extras", 20 to be exact to help celebrate Damma's big day. Damma was surprised, which is hard to do and it made it fun for all! The food was delicious and the fellowship even better, topped off with homemade ice cream and oatmeal chocolate chip cake. The evening weather was perfect and we all stayed outside visiting in the candle light (sorry, no pics of that, the photographer was in grossed in a conversation ) until late. Happy Birthday Damma and Brooklyn. We love you both. Now, I think that we are officially finished celebrating Brooklyn's 5th b-day, but she will enjoy the repercussions of it for weeks to come!.

.

Birthday # 5 for Brooklyn

It is hard for me to sit here and try to imagine that Brooklyn is turning 5. Where has the time gone? The past five years have been ones of great joy and immense pleasure! God knew what He was doing when He blessed our lives with our dark haired, dark eyed, little girl. Little did I know the struggle it would be to bring her into the world, but it was one that I will never forget, would never want to do again, but certianly would, just to have her in our life! The feeling you experience when they place your little baby in your arms for the first time is indescribeable, but I can remember thinking, I am so glad that you are safely and finally in Mommy's arms and I wanted to cry.

I was in labor for over 23 hours and pushed hard for over 5. Getting Brooklyn to come out was no easy task. Why they didn't just take her by c-section is a mystery, but now I am thankful that they didn't so that I don't have to have other children that way. I could tell by the look on Brook's face that something wasn't right and when the Doctor told me that they were going to have to use the vacuum, I understood full well that she wasn't coming out. After 3 unsuccessful tries with the vacuum, I was cut, she was out and whisked away by a team of nurses and I wouldn't see her for the next 11 hours. Brook later told me that he looked at the Doctor's face when the baby's heart rate dropped and worry was written all over it. Brooklyn was placed under an oxygen hood for the next several hours and I tried to sleep. Every so often I would have Brook go into the nursery to check on her to see if she was okay and to let her know that she wasn't alone. He felt so torn, not wanting to leave my side, but wanting to see Brooklyn as well. It was a long day! Around 4:30 or so, I was allowed to go into the nursery to see her for the first time. I heard her crying and had Brook wheel me over to her and I picked her up to let her know that Mommy was there. We stayed in there while they gave her her first bath, but it broke my heart to have to leave her there. As we were returning to my room I saw her Doctor and asked when she would be allowed to come to my room, she said she would check her out and then would send her in. Twenty minutes later Brooklyn came into out room and to this day she has never left. We were required to stay in the hospital for 3 more days before being allowed to go home and become a family.

All that seems like yesterday, but in another sense seems like forever ago. She has become the happy little girl with the big brown eyes, huge dimples, curly brown hair and a bright smile, that has the ability to brighten the day of whomever she comes in contact with. She has brought our home life, love, joy, and happiness. She has an enormous imagination and loves to live in the world of make believe and anyone and everyone who wants to play along is welcome. She loves to laugh and to make you laugh, she loves to help, she loves being outside, she loves flowers, she loves to sing and play with her baby brother, she loves going to Nana's house more than any other place in the world and her family are the most important people to her. But all this is trivial. There lies an even bigger picture before me and I wonder, have I been the mother that I should be?, have I, on a bad day showed her a Christ-like spirit, one that I would want to have her pattern after, have I taught her the values and principles that I want her to know?, have I led her in the direction that I want her to go, one that leads her to Christ and the cross? Only time will tell what I have accomplished as a mother and as each day comes I want to make sure that I am being all to her that my Mother was to me. But for now I do know that, Brooklyn is kind, she shares her toys, she includes others(very hard for someone who is shy), she is helpful, she is happy, and she loves Jesus. Brooklyn, Mommy loves you and I am so thankful that Jesus saw fit to bless our home with you!! Always love Jesus, I love you, and Happy Birthday!

Below are some pictures of Brooklyn's b-day party at my parents last weekend. They were not able to be here this week so we decided to celebrate it early, for it is not a birthday if Nana & Poppy, and the rest of the family clan can't be there. Brooklyn loves Dora the Explorer, so for her b-day she wanted a Dora the Explorer swimming party. She couldn't decide between the cake and the cupcakes, so Daddy said let's get them both, thus the cake and cupcakes in the pictures. In case you get to wondering who the little girl is in the pictures with Brooklyn, that is Malia. She goes to our church there in Nampa and her and Brooklyn are very close friends. It was a fun party and thank you to all my family for coming and making it so special for her! We love you!

.

Summer Cherry Festival

What's a better way to entertain your little children during the warm summer days than a parade and a some carnival rides? That's the question that we put before ourselves and so, away we went. The small town of Emmett, ID was having their annual Cherry Festival and Parade. Our dear friends, and the Pastors of the Emmett Community Bible Church, Melvin & Sandy Adams, invited us to come over and join in the fun. It was the first parade for us sit and enjoy in over 15+ years. We are always participating in them because of my Dad, so it was fun for us all to watch it and the kids had a blast. Especially Brittan. He loved the candy!!! And would add a very adorable "ohh" each and every time that someone tossed any candy his way. It soon became the family game to make Brittan get excited about candy that he had already picked up. Daddy, Poppy, and Brent would toss candy out in front of him as we were waiting for the next float to come and this kept him entertained (and us) for the 1-2 hours that the parade lasted. Next, we loaded up the childrens loot and went over to the Festival so the kids could ride some rides. I am not sure who enjoyed it more, the kids or my parents watching the kids. But most of all, fun memories were made and we had a blast being together!

Keaton/Collingsworth Weekend

In honor of Dr. Keaton's retirement last weekend we were blessed to have the Collingworth Family perform a concert at our home church in Nampa. It would be an understatement to say that it was anything less than incredible. I can honestly say that God's presence was so real and so close. My heart was blessed. They are truly the most talented family in Gospel music today. But above and beyond their talent, they are real people, real friends. We were privileged to have them in my parents home after the concert and so enjoyed getting to know them even more. All the rest of my family have met them before, but this was my first time and what a delight! I think that there was over 35 people and even though it was kind of a last minute idea, it went without a hitch and it was so much fun!!! Saturday and Sunday was even more time together and I must say that it was with a sad heart that I saw the weekend come to an end. Many fun memories were made and friendships were deepened.