Delighting in the joy...

Just coming up on 10 years ago, we were shocked and elated to hear 
we were expecting our fourth child. 
We knew full well that the likelihood of all going well with the pregnancy 
was tiny owing to our less than "spring chicken" ages 
and our decades long history of difficulty having twigs.

We decided to celebrate and delight in the joy while we could

 so we gathered the twigs together for ice cream sundaes 

and had them guess our exciting news. 

It took a while (cough, cough) but eventually with some hints 

they figured it out. 

It was actually more of a question than a guess 

"Are we going to have a baby???" 

There were cheers and tears all around!

We miscarried that baby a few weeks later 

but I still remember vividly the immense joy I felt and delighted in for a time. 

This last week, our girlie and I celebrated our birthdays. 

It was a biggie for our girlie, she turned 16!!

We've been delighting in the joy all month!   :)

There was so much delighting that there was little picture taking

 so all we have are the great memories

 and some silly selfies.

We started the celebrating with a great night of racquetball - my favorite thing!

Then there was a trip to the temple 

to do work for those who couldn't do it for themselves - my favorite thing!

My icing on the proverbial birthday cake was a night of theater and show-tunes

at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square...

 

 ...followed by

 yummy frites and waffles at Bruges - my favorite thing!

Our girlie's icing on the birthday cake 

 was getting to go on a real date! 

She's been watching her brothers have a blast for years on group dates. 

Sometimes it's hard being the youngest. 

She had so much fun on her first date playing blindfolded croquet. 

You may have noticed that this picture is not a silly selfie
but rather...a picture by stalker mom.   ;)

I could not help myself!

Thank you friends, for celebrating with us, 

for the happy birthday wishes and for the yummy treats. 

Thanks for giving us so much joy to delight in!  

xoxo

Between the sticks...

When the twigs were little, it was fun to watch the boys play soccer. They loved it and for a very short time they were on the same team.

Zac in top row - second from right

Hunter in bottom row - on the far right

Our girlie wasn't interested in soccer. She likes to dance. 

The last few years, the boys were on the same team again. Oh how I LOVED watching them play together!!

Hunter has missed playing soccer with his bro since "Elder Branch" has been in South Carolina spreading the "Good News". He's on a great team, though, and still loves kicking that ball between the sticks.

This one's for you, Zac!
xoxo

His "I'm getting an idea" face...

I'm blessed to have funny funny brothers.

Here is one of them on the far right of the picture...

One can only guess this must be his "I'm getting an idea" face...

Our girlie has the cutest giggle when she's being teased.   :)

Love my funny funny brother!    xoxo

Sometimes Being A Brother Is Even Better Than Being A Super Hero - Marc Brown

Years ago, I saw the cutest picture on my niece's blog...

Spring Time Treats

She has oodles of cute doodles and this one was perfect for us. It said "Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a super hero.  -Marc Brown"

Spring had doodled two brothers and a sister on the quote and I loved it! 

I stuck it on the little piece of wall between the kids bedrooms while they were at school. Subliminal messaging I'm sure was my motivation. I do remember trying to color the hair on the doodle so it looked like our family but it didn't work the best and that didn't matter.

I've loved that little picture, and it's been hanging on the wall for years, wrinkled and worn with edges curling, just like our own velveteen rabbit. 

Total, surprise!! Last week Spring and her adorable family came for our twig's Sacrament Meeting talk before leaving on his LDS mission (so cool of them) and the next day we received an email with an attachment. Look y'all! It's a brand spankin' new shiny hair and heights matching on the twigs doodle!

She must have seen our old tattered thing hanging on the wall so she made us an updated version. That's just like her...she is one very observant, huge-hearted girl.

 

I'm over the moon. Thanks sweet Spring girl. xoxo

The weekend of hats!

The oldest twig had a weekend to remember and it all involved hats. 

The first hat was bright purple and had a tassel hanging from it with a big number 14. 

There aren't enough thanks we can give to all the people who contributed to this accomplishment. To teachers, counselors, administrators, staff, and those who make the early college scholarship possible... with much emotion and gusto we say, "Thank you!"

This twig is one hard-working dude. I still have trouble imagining that a 17-year-old boy can earn an Associates Degree before graduating High School. Congrats big guy! He wasn't alone either, as a whopping 55% of this High School graduating class earned their Associates Degrees. Amazing, absolutely amazing!

The second hat was a gem-encrusted shiny thing. 


He came home from Prom wearing it.

There's a king in the house. Rumor whispered that an awesome friend (Zach V.) may have had something to do with the nomination. Thanks dude - you rock!

I've been thinking what it means when a girl or boy is crowned Prom Royalty. I believe it means that:
The ones wearing the crowns have the very very best of friends: unselfish, kind, thoughtful, generous friends who see the best in others. Friends who make a difference in others' lives and never even know it.

“Friendship," said Christopher Robin, "is a very comforting thing to have.”
― A.A. Milne


We're crazy about these boys!

A huge shout out to the Hansons who, as the group plans were being made, seemed to get more and more to do. What amazing people, great photographer & cook, and how about that fabulous back yard! 

Just two nights later, the oldest twig was wearing a third hat. 

This one brought with it years of scouting memories: campfires, crazy deep-fried concoctions, night games, friends, blizzards, and service. 

For his High School Capstone Project, he earned his Venturing Trust Award and shared his beliefs and experiences in a presentation about scouting and its purpose of teaching boys to become honorable men.

The most important of these memories are of honorable, devoted men who have taught and shaped him. What a difference they've made! We send to all of you our heartfelt love and gratitude. We will strive to live each day to repay the debt.