We were all surprised and happy because, to put it mildly-she is a bit of an over-worker-super-achiever at times. But she is choosing to let God do a new thing in her life and it is good.
IKEA virgin no more.
So- a week in Minnesota with good, lifelong friends (The Bierers – people we adore!!) included lounging by the pool and shopping (she has heretofore been a somewhat militant non-shopper) at The Mall of America. She is no longer an IKEA virgin! Quite the vacation for Tre-Tre!
Tredessa comes back in spite of a tornado.
7 days later it was time to come home. Her plane was due to land at DIA at the exact same time a tornado was barreling through. They put them in a holding pattern for so long their fuel got low. They ended up landing at Colorado Springs to re-fuel and wait in line to be able to get back to DIA.
She finally got back – just in the nick-of-time for a family dinner to celebrate her life (as she will be out of town again on her actual birthday this weekend).
We got together. There were hugs and kisses and flowers and presents. There was laughter and a few tears of love. There were 5 energetic grandkids (who played dress-up all night) and grilled chicken. We ate corn on the cob and strawberry cheesecake. Edward was invited to be adored. A hot competitve Twilight game was played way into the night. It was the fam and a few friends.
Stef and Wrex, who had been out of town, rushed back to “crash the party” for Tredessa. They wore orange so well. That is one of the reasons we love them so. We did a mini-birthday-celebration for Wrex, too.
Tredessa in Transition
Besides her birthday, Tredessa is in transition in her life right now. There are lots of things changing and things she just doesn’t know some details of her future right now. But I hope she knows, at the very least, how much we all cherish her (especially becuase of that awesome poem I wrote for her)!
You know it is going to be an exquisite day, a day of sunshine and fruitfulness when the birds wake you up at half past four in the morning, already in full song, trumpeting God’s greatness.
I have finished planting the straw bales (3 are dedicated to zucchini and summer squash; one has a paste tomato and a tomatillo; one is the holder of the watermelon seeds – getting a late start, but they are on the south side of the house, so hopefully the bale and the sun will help me out. And the final two hold 4 unique and beautiful tomatoe plants. I sunk them in on Monday and I have never seen such happy tomatoes. Truly. They are just plum delighted.) Even the seeds I plopped in 6 days ago are sprouting very happily.
Dave is filling the pool.
I have completed almost all of my potted plants (still have a few things to buy).
I have planted more radishes and lettuce and peppers and beets (beets because of Dwight on The Office – more of a joke…hopefully we’ll actually find something good to do with them).
I painted numbers 1-5 in white on the little black grand-bebe breakfast bar stools. So cute.
I painted my cherry end table black (which I have wanted to do forever!).
I had lunch in the cool breezy shade with my amazing husband (who is tanning up nicely).
I sewed four new cushion covers for the patio chairs.
I got sidetracked a lot. And watched part of a crime show.
I helped Dave a little with the swingset/play thing he is building the grand-bebes.
Now I am off to birthday and celebration meal shop for Tredessa, who arrives home from vacation tomorrow.
Oh, that all days were as abundant…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Hang the “Our Father” prints, sew more cushion covers – tonight…??
Today is Gavin’s birthday ~ what a day to celebrate!
Six years? How is that possible? That is when I first became a grandparent. Time flies and the days get richer!
Gavin-the-Gardener
Gavin wanted garden plants for his birthday. His mom specified that they should come in a pot that he could tend to himself (as I did not raise a gardener in Steph…yet). Well, how could I refuse that? Gav is my garden helper. He plants and waters and listens to everything I tell him about growing things. Flowers are OK to him, but veggies (especially tomatoes!) are better: truly a man after my own heart.
So, last week on a beautiful, sunny day, we took Gavin to my favorite garden center just outside town (Horiuchi Brothers Nursery – great stuff and generous-they always give me free stuff!). Gavin was so excited as we were turning into their drive. He told us, “My mom and dad never take me to the garden center. I always want to go here, but they say, “No – let’s just go to church.'” Hahhahahhha!
I hope he is not somehow equating a passionate indulgence in gardening as a sin or some opposition to good church-going folk??
Anyhow-he’d have turned his entire backyard into the garden of Eden if I hadn’t made him choose just a few favorites!I ended up with a bunch of specialty pepper plants in my own 4 x 4 because he just had to grow them!
Oh the miles of smiles you’ve brought me, Gavin! You are my heart’s joy and delight! You opened the door that turned me into a Nonna! You are exuberance and curiosity. You are a good-finder and glee. Your love and zeal for all things family and gardening and learning at school and Wii and Xbox and cartoons (especially Spongebob) and your sisters and cousins and building and running and jumping and playing? Inspires me! I want to enjoy life like you do!
You’re 6 now, Gavin! Happy Birthday!…Love, Nonna
pictured: Gavin with his 2 birthday pots; a pot of flowers for the front porch (marigolds, purple petunias, purple salvia and white wave petunias which will soon cascade down the side of the black Malaysian pot; a grape tomato plant for the patio with a couple of marigolds to keep it company.
Warning: loooooooong post :} But it’s only the second half of the month-I promise!
Family Dinner on a Monday night~
For Steph’s birthday we just sorta decided to “take over” this itty-bitty family-owned hole-in-the-wall spot in Brighton: Marisco’s Mazatlan. Steph simply adores their chicken fajitas so we warned them and we showed up…bunches and bunches of us, using about 89% of their total table space.
It was THE hottest day of the year so far and their air conditioning, combined with a zillion skillets of steaming fajitas, plates of chimis and enchiladas and mounds of steamy beans and rice couldn’t quite keep up with all of us.
Then it was back to the house for strawberry shortcake and presents and stories and letters about and to Stephanie. The predominant theme seemd to be tied to the meaning of her name: a crown or garland, a festooning. So we celebrated the woman she is and we festooned her with praises (Yes, we had just had strawberry shortcake for Tara’s birthday, but once is never enough!)
Celebrating Stephanie was such an honor. She really is, without at all being a soccer-mom-typical-suburbia-type-woman, a virtuous woman/wife/mommy in the Proverbs 31 sense. She is anything but cliche, but she is a woman to be praised. I love and admire her with all my heart. She is the family festooning! Good times.
Zoo Day and Farewell to Kindergarten~
Gavin and his whole class got to ride the big yellow school bus to the zoo for an end-of-the-school-year celebration. Riding a big yellow bus was one of the main reasons Gavin wanted to go to school in the first place. Imagine his surprise at the bait-and-switch when we loaded him up with school supplies and then – he had to ride in the car. Bummer.
But for his patience, he was rewarded when they went to the Denver Zoo. He was assigned a group with his 3 best friends and their mommies chaperoned. The mommies beamed, I hear, when told they had the “rowdy bunch.” I am so glad they can appreciate youthful joy and delight – even if it does get a little loud and crazy, at times. Steph said the boys shared their lunches and watched out for each other, holding hands when the crowd was thick.
Who knew you could have such true friends in Kindergarten?? Gavin will be attending a school closer to his house than mine next year, but I hope he will always remember the great friends and the running and jumping playtime they have enjoyed together. Good times.
Estes Park for writers
Dave and I got to go spend some time in Estes Park where Christian writers annually gather for inspiration and opportunity. I just go for the scenery and the food. Even though we’re only an hour from home, being in the mountains is an important hour!
It is refreshing and simple and lovely. I get to meet all sorts of interesting people and be with Dave, besides all that (he is pictured here with critters and with Robert Liparulo). Lots of walking (all uphill), holding hands and talking dreams like you can only do when you’re “away.” Good times.
Hang-out Time with Hunter
This is an amazing kid. When his mommy and daddy travel for ministry, they try to take him along. He is a globetrottter! But sometimes he has to stay – like the days DP and Tara went in to Mexico to do ministry this month. And I cherish the moments I get to be with him. Hunter told Stormie “I love school with Nonna because it’s all about letters and grass. And I love those things.” These are good times.
Memorial Day and a red-headed boy and a red-headed girl on another Monday~
Gemma turned 2 on May 23rd. Gavin will be 6 on June 2. With traveling schedules and all that summer brings, we decided to celebrate them on Memorial Day Monday, early in the day.
I wanted to do a 7-tier Fancy-Nancy cake full of boas and streamers and bejeweled to the hilt for Gemma, but her mommy said, “Let’s go simple…maybe do a ‘Gemma-face’.” So for her I just did an oreo-cookie, strawberry and real whipped cream ice cream cake. I tried to replicate Gemma’s very zealous full-face-and-eyes-all-squinchy smile, as that is the one she flashes at any hint of fun. I don’t think her exuberance can actually be captured in ice cream, but there it was, nonetheless. My attempt.
Gavin has asked for a Batman cake pretty much once a week ever since his Transformer party last year. I think he may have been thinking that I’d do some full-fledged, standing-upright-cape-blowing-in-the-breeze Batman like the Optimus Prime from last year (read more about that scary experience here). But with 2 cakes on one day, again with the simple. I just cut a man with bat ears out of a chocolate half sheet and covered it in fondant. Black fondant. A great icing for the grandsons. They relished baring their black teeth and tongue after the eating. Good times.
Friends and family far and wide
May is one of those months. Anniversaries and weddings, graduations and school year’s ending. Everytime I turn around, there seems something to celebrate, to rejoice in, to recount the faithfulness of God and His favor on lives. So happy dancing-and-joy to all celebrants! Congratulations and best wishes for you! Despite the economy and bad news we get bombarded with, these are, indeed, good times.
“You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.” Psalm 65.11 NKJV
God is great, God is good…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Develop a much, much, much more grateful heart and awareness of the abiding love of God in my life. My times are His hands…
I have a glimpse of who Gemma is becoming everytime I see a Fancy Nancy book or outfit: naturally curly red hair, sparkly and feathery and delightful! She ornery and sweet, sneaky and a little lamb. She holds her own, takes dominion over Sandy-the-dog and tells us, when she wants to be held, “I scared.” She is the baby of her family in all the glory that place brings.
My favorite of our current conversations:
Me: I love you, Gemma
Gemma: I love you Nonna
Me: I love you more
Gemma: I love you more
Which she will keep up as long as I do. Very affirming! She is two and I cannot remember life before Gemma!
pictured: Gemma in April at Stormie’s Twilight party – eating the apple prop; Gemma with her Aunt Tara last week at Mazatlan. Gemma on Mother’s Day, seated on her/my new black breakfast bar stool.
Happy 27th Birthday, Stephanie May – as in May-Day-baskets-of-lilacs-and-tulips-and-dancing-around-with-streamers-in-celebration-and-rejoicing!
(picture taken by Tredessa at church on Easter Sunday…Guini-almost 4, Gavin almost-6, Gemma-almost 2, parents-still twenty-somethings)
A full 5-weeks early in your arrival, who could have known, as they pronounced a mere 30% chance of survival on you and your severely underdeveloped lungs – that you’d be home in 12 days? That you’d defy the odds and in answer to our heart’s cries and the mercy of the Lord, you’d breathe in and out until you were whole?
We named you for one of my Biblical heroes (Stephen – a man of wisdom and grace, full of the Holy Spirit) and because three of our favorite TV actresses back in the day had the name (Stepfanie Kramer aka Detective Sgt. Dee Dee McCall in “Hunter”; Stefanie Powers aka Jennifer Hart on “Hart to Hart”; Stephanie Zimbalist aka Laura Holt in “Remington Steele”). I am sure I read in the baby name book at the time that your name meant “crown, or garland, festooning” yet I couldn’t have comprehended then how true that would be about you. We added “May” in the middle in celebration of the beautiful spring month in which you were born. You were our tiniest baby with a big, long name.
Then you grew. And you were funny and a singer and had a helpful heart. And you developed a very unique sense of style and you played basketball and now guitar and you worship and you married Tristan and produced these 3 adorable kids. And you amaze me constantly. I did not know what an incredible wife and mommy you’d be. I didn’t know how much I’d learn from you about following Christ and serving my family. You are the Proverbs 31 woman, Stephanie! In every way – you are!
“Many women have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all…The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises!” Proverbs 31, The Message
Twenty-seven wishes for Stephanie on her 27th Birthday~
I wish for you to be rewarded for the wonderful and wife and mommy you are – to receive the fruit of the seeds you have planted into your family’s lives.
I want you to get the needed time to develop your May-Dae biz with Stormie.
May the creativity flow in full force for all you put your hand to as you remain o-so-close to the Creative One.
I wish and pray for the smile of the Lord to be on your life.
I am asking the Lord to make you aware of how He sings and delights and dances over you, crowning you with His goodness.
I pray those 3 children will receive everything you have to place in their hearts as their mommy.
I pray Tristan will always be blessed by you, always ravished by your beauty, both inside and out. And may the wild romance blossom profusely and continuously.
May the song of the Lord pour from your heart and mouth and please Him.
May the Holy Spirit instruct you in the song of the Lord (1 Chronicles 25.7) and may you become a highly skillful musician for His glory!
I wish for this next year to be full of the joy of the Lord (your strength) and for it to start with the best summer you have ever enjoyed – fun times with the people you love.
I wish for you to discover new abilities and skills as you Exec. Direct a whole “Pod’s” worth of people! What an impact you are having!
For all the times the Lord has miraculously healed you in both body and mind, I pray that you will lay hands on the sick and that they will recover and that your fervent and effective prayers will produce wonderful results and many healings!
I wish for you to have peace on all sides, to have favor with both God and man.
I wish friendships for you that were long-ago planned by God, to enrich you and bring encouragement.
The new “old” house of your dreams – I am wishing that for you! And all the antique-and-funky stuff to fill it you could ever desire (including the music studio!!).
Songs – the ones you write…when do we get to hear some?
I want your lilac bushes to bloom profusely! Because they so remind me of you – all purple and deliciously-scented. So they should..profusely…bloom!
I wish for you to know your value in our family – that you are a crown to us.
I pray that you will understand what a blessed representation of our love you were to us, that to guard your life and cherish it was a symbol of all that was to come.
I want you to know how much I love you and admire you and how proud I am of you, not only for the woman you have become, for the person you have always been.
I am praying you can receive the praises and festooning we are bestowing upon you on the occasion of the celebration of your birth because you deserve them, you do.
Be courageous. Don’t be afraid.
Be bold. Don’t hold things in.
Be you. That is a gift to us all.
I wish you laughter daily and tears when you need a good cry.
I wish for all your dreams (the ones we know and especially the ones we don’t) to come true.
And I pray you will take your place – the one God had in mind for you before you were even one day old (Psalm 139), take the place, the ministry, the arena, the position – God has called you to and don’t ever let self-doubt or man’s opinion stop you. You are the crown. You are the garland that celebrates and decorates the Head.
I festoon you with my love. I festoon you with my praises. Twenty-seven years ago today, I got to touch a miracle – and you remind me of God’s faithfulness everyday of your love-filled life.
Happy Birthday, Stephanie… Mom
NOTE TO SELF: Am I blessed or what? This girl is one of the most interesting, multi-faceted and surprising human beings on earth, the spice of my life.
Sometimes I look at Dave across the room and wonder if he is feeling as overwhelmed with awe and wonder as I am. There is noise and mess and laughter and teasing and general uproariousness – and we did this – on purpose. Dave and I created this crazy, wonderful mess. This is the fruit of hot passion and true love. This is the grace of God.
(pictured above, l to r: Stormie’s thoughtfully-wrapped gift for Tara; Averi pretending to be drawing on the chalkboard so she can get a taste of the chalk; deep fried pickles! Yes. Deep-fried pickles…and some homemade onion rings)
Bowling for Tara.
Saturday: Tara is not a birthday-cake-and-ice-cream-and-let’s-open-presents kind of birthday girl. No, no. She wants activity. Physical activity. And if there can be competition in there, all the better. Her birthday dreams are made of beach-ball volleyball tournaments or tetherball challenges or something with tennis racquets.
Because the forecast said “rain,” (which, btw – God, seeing on His calendar “Tara’s birthday,” sent a brilliantly dazzling and sunny day – the rain came after dark very beautifully), we opted to bowl for Tara’s birthday. We gathered for an early lunch. We bowled a couple of games. I found out Gemma (almost 2) is a better bowler than me and Hunter-the-informative (4), gave me tips to bowling better, along with a demonstration of how I was turning my wrist all wrong.
We came back to the house for strawberry shortcake and presents and blessings. Dave and I read our love letters to Tara out loud and we cried. That is hard to do, but it is good for your children to hear your love straight from your own mouth. It will keep them long after we are gone.
It was hours and hours of love and celebration. In the evening, DP pulled out the romance ticket and whisked Tara off to the Melting Pot where he had flowers delivered to the same booth they sat in 6 years ago on her birthday as they were madly falling in love. One of the gifts he is giving her is time in a recording studio to do some of their songs. Then, while we hung out with Hunter, they went to the new Star Trek movie (a must-see in our family!).
A couple of months ago I was worried about Tara turning 30 because she seemed so alarmed by it. But she ended up actually enjoying it. She felt honored and loved. She is THE most gorgeous (inside and out) 30-year old I know!
5 kids + their 3 loves + 5 grandkids (throw in a niece and nephew) = a blessed Mother’s Day!
Sunday evening: I had these 2 bamboo/cane stools for the breakfast bar we bought at Gordman’s when we moved in almost 7 years ago. The grand-bebes love sitting there during big family meals. But we have 5 of bebes now. We have been using an extra stool we have had for years, but still-it has become a scramble to see who will get to sit where. A few weeks ago I spotted some sturdy wooden stools at a very-very nice reduced price* at Target. I tossed the idea out to Dave and Stormie: Hmmm…maybe we should get these and just paint them black? They were very nonchalent and less-than-enthusiastic about the response. “Oh, yeah. Maybe.”
After the kids had fixed a great big BLT (the lettuce is welcome to come along, but the stars are the bacon and the Tomatoes…swine flu be darned!), fruit and veggies-with-dip meal for me, I was asked to leave the room momentarily. I came back in to my 5 little grand-bebes seated, with big, colorful bows atop their heads, on 5 matching (recently painted black) breakfast-bar stools. Oh yes! Less work for me! More space for my joys. I LOVE it!
I have now been informed that there is plenty of room for one more stool there should I get a 2010 grand-bebe, but after that I will have to move to have a bigger breakfast bar.
There was some very crazy card-playing (Pitch) where Rocky aggressively won by bull-crapping his entire way through. How we have not broken the Rocky code all these years, I do not know. He keeps us laughing!
SIDE NOTE:I stopped by youtube to re-watch my Mother’s Day present from last year (my kids singing my favorite Patridge Family song) and it seems the public wants more. There are comments saying they should sing and post some more and one person even suggested getting in on a family singing contest on an early morning news show where David Cassidy himself is one of the judges! Haha! Just in case you missed it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpDzazacUEw
Weekend over. Heart Full.
Stormie painted me a representation of the original 5 who made me a mom (and wow-three of those have brought me amazing “new” kids!). It is hard to see in the photo, but all of their names are on there with 3-d lettering. Stephanie bought me a gorgeous “little black dress” and the house, thanks to all the kiddos (including niece-Elise), looks like a flower shop – for all the flowers they brought me and each other to celebrate mommyhood. Loving the fragrant lilacs!
We are real people. We do NOT do everything right. We’re not even always that nice. In fact, we struggle, and fail and do it wrong at times, crying out to God for mercy, just like any other family…But we are a zealous bunch. We are loud. We are committed. And there is love. And you can’t get too much of that.
Until next time…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: I am so glad Dave chose me to be the mother of his children and that he is the father of mine. It is working for us.
It was a Wednesday 05.09.79, the evening of a beautiful spring day. The mysterious baby was coming – boy or girl? I had no idea. But I was hoping for a baby girl. 30 minutes after arriving at the hospital (where I refused to go until I was having difficulty “handling” contractions), she arrived.
I see perfection for the first time in my life. She is pink and shaped perfectly and gentle. I am not alone…
Two hours later they place the little bundle in my arms in our temporary home and she looks at me as if she has always known me. I breathe in the mystery of her and know that my heart is tied to this little human being in an eternal way. I feel the love I give her come back to me. God gave me the gift of her, entrusted me with her life and I cannot fathom how life-changing it will be.
Shiny blond hair and bright blue eyes accessorize this girl’s joyous personality. Everything about life is another opportunity to laugh and be happy and to bring the same to all around her. She squeals with delight at the slightest provocation. She is fun and she is joy. She is star bright and star light.
Was it really thirty years ago that I held this beautiful stranger as close as humanly possible? Did I really start my wobbly ascent into motherhood so long ago? Hard to believe, difficult to comprehend.
Yet, more mysterious is the fact that this girl, this amazing woman of God with the angelic voice, this anointed exhorter and song writer, DP’s devoted crazy-in-love-with-him wife and Hunter’s creative and attentive mommy is that same baby I held. The fact that I had anything at all to do with this woman boggles my mind. The fact that I held her first, that I prayed over her and sang to her and got to mommy her ~ I am humbled. Because Tara? Has turned out!
I am so proud of you, Tara. I am so pleased with the choices you are making every day and the life you are living to please the Father. Happy Birthday, my firstborn, my child. Happy Birthday!
Thirty wishes for Tara on her 30th birthday:
Oh, my first born~I thank God for you. I pray you will always know how much I thank God for you.
Passionate kisses and lifelong love with Dave. That is what I want for you. I love how you love your husband. I pray that you two keep the fires sizzling hot!
Thousands of hugs from Hunter. You are such a good mommy, Tara, really-so good. I hope you will get ready to receive the fruit of all the love you give.
Courage to be all God has called you to.
Courage to do everything God planned for you before the foundation of the world.
Hope in your heart for all the secret desires…”Your desire is the confirmation that the destination is there,” as Carman used to sing!
Revelation on the deep things of God (“Deep calls to deep…”).
I wish for you to hear God’s secrets, praying you’ll stay so close He’ll actually confide in you (He confides in those who fear Him…).
I wish creativity for you – that you’ll always be energized when you get to flow in that aspect of the character of God – making the world brighter for everyone who knows you.
I wish for you to stay strong and healthy, and vigorously active (just like your grandma…:{ not like me).
I wish for a million good hair days.
May you live long on the earth and may it go so very well for you (check out that 5th commandment!).
I pray that you’ll be surprised by the great things God has in store. Nothing to fear in your future. He is already there and it is good times!
More traveling! You love it. The world needs what you and Dave bring. I pray that gazillions more travel opportunities open up!
But I pray you’ll always live close by. Let “home base” be near your mom and dad, okey-dokey? Settled.
I pray that your love for the Word will just keep increasing (time in the Word is time with the Word).
May the songs increase. Write, girl, write!
I wish for you to understand the power behind your soft voice. It is there!
I wish for you to have true friends – the kind who will deposit good things into your life and replenish you after all you pour out.
My wish for you is to do tremendously well on the keyboard and teach me the stuff I do all wrong.
May your worship please the Lord.
May your voice be heard around the world.
I pray for you to walk in wisdom.
Enjoy your youth. These are amazing days. Enjoy them fully.
I pray for the Lord to order your days and help you, as a family, to schedule carefully – always listening for Holy Spirit direction.
May you have the financial provision to complete the tasks the Lord has placed in your hands. I pray for the money to come so your generous giving may increase! Dig wells, care for the orphans, teach and preach and obey every day. Lord, send the money it takes!
Stay humble, my sweet. Kill pride the second you see it anywhere in your life.
I am praying the Lord will bless you and keep and make His face shine upon you.
I am praying that the smile of the Lord will be on your life. Remember – He is rejoicing over you with singing.
And I wish for the joy of the Lord to be your strength – all the strength you’ll ever need.
Love you babe…Mom
NOTE TO SELF: Be the driving force to get her birthday shelves built by her dad! :)
A chocolate butterfly cut-out, approximately 11″ x 13″ (hand cut from a 12″ x 16″ pan) decorated to compliment her butterfly balloon set (the color and inspiration for the whole party). There are butterfly-shaped pans out there. Why did I not use one? I thought I’d be clever, I guess, and create my own.
Alyssa’s grandma (Pearl) says the birthday girl liked her cake.
The guest cake
Two-tier, 3-layer cakes (approx. 6″ height each tier). The bottom square: my rather infamous lemon-poppyseed filled with lemon curd cream. The top tier, chocolate-fudge pudding cake with milk chocolate filling. Buttercream over all.
All together
About 3 dozen eggs, 4 pounds of butter, 7+ pounds of cake flour, some canola oil, less than 5 pounds of sugar, 6+ pounds confectioner’s sugar, the juice and zest of a dozen large lemons (smells soooo good), chocolate moistening syrup.
Alyssa will be one this week! Just a little over a year ago we were having a baby shower for her mommy (and daddy), Audrey and Ben. A quick look back at the shower and then a glance at this cake and you’ll know Audrey-the-artist-and-mommy is not afraid of color! Nothing pastel about her! Aaaah… Time flies and life is a celebration!
Until next time…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: cookie decorating with the grand-bebes to use up the rest of the icing.
pictured: the cake, of course….the final pic is Ally’s cake after she’d had a chance to dig in. I am still having photo-posting problems here at the blog and my silly camera flash was not usable (boooooo). What you can’t see is that the butterflies were also glittery. It was a happy cake!
I see in my mind’s eye a big healthy baby – 9 pounds, 10 ounces. Two weeks past her due date, she arrives: peacefully, happily. She settles in as the newest and final addition to the home of love being built by my lover and me. She is the object of affection and delight to her four older siblings. She is a reward and gift to her mommy and daddy.
Chunky at birth, she elongates into a tall-for-her-age, skinny pre-schooler who uses her voice, sweet and syrupy, to melt us and get everything she wants.
She is 5 with a tiny heart-shaped face and big, expressive eyes. There is a big yellow bow in her tightly permed hair and she twirls in a polka-dot skirt. She doesn’t just like school, she looooooooves school!
She runs, during the elementary days, to keep up with her brother. If he is playing baseball, so is she. If he is madly roller-blading – she will keep up. Though we fear her tiny frame may snap from the pace, she is ever just an “nth” of a step behind Rocky.
As a teen, she follows Jesus with all her heart. She prays her sister, with tears, back from the brink. She becomes a stained glass artist and stars in the school play. She learns to drive while worshipping her head off in the car with her mama. She is a blessing.
Age and maturity reveal one of the kindest people I have ever known. She serves and cares and quietly sets things aright. She is 23 now. The baby is 23. And I love her.
I don’t know where the years have gone, Stormkins, but I cherish every moment you have been mine. I love you so deeply, my sweet baby girl. All 23 candles on represent a wish I have for you this year.
Twenty-three Wishes for Stormie on Her 23rd Birthday
I wish for you to “prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 Jn 1.2 nkjv
I wish an unending smile for your face – so your dimples will deepen and delight will spread over your whole head.
I wish the warm and cheerful feeling of yellow flowers to surround you no matter where you are, regardless of any circumstance.
I want your heart to be in peace.
I want you to always and forever know what it means to be free in Christ, totally, completely free! And I rebuke the enemy. I rebuke Satan from even trying to enslave you in any way.
May God’s will be done in your life, all the days of your life, as you bring Him glory – on earth as it is in heaven.
I hope dad and I have given you what you need to be everything God intends. If we have forgotten anything – you know where to find us. It’s not too late!
Never forget how many people adore the stuffing out of you! You are loved-like-crazy by me and dad and Tara and Dave and Hunter and Stephanie and Tristan and Gavin and Guini and Gemma and Rocky and Jovan and Averi and Tredessa and Elise and all the cousins and all the aunts and uncles and don’t forget Grandma and Grandpa Moslander…
“Be-member, mama, we like to ‘shnuggle.'” I will never forget those words nor your voice when you were 4 telling me that. I wish for you to remember it always, too, because I am still happy to ‘shnuggle’ with you!
For the man. The one. The right time. I wish him for you, Stormie. I am praying for him, too.
I wish for you a bunch of cute little Stormies. Oh-even if you only get one like you, she will make you so happy. I guarantee it.
I wish for you to reap all the seeds of godliness and generosity that you have sown. I wish for the bread you have cast upon on the waters to now be found! May it come back to you.
I pray for the heavens to open and loud, clear-cut direction and guidance for your life to be announced with trumpets and singing. I pray you will never wander aimlessly.
I am believing for continued favor on your life.
I remind God about showing you mercy and gracing you mightily (empowering you to be everything He created you to be; empowering you to do all He has called you to do!).
My wish is that you will be full (all the way to capacity and running over) of the Holy Spirit.
I wish for you to always walk in truth.
I will always believe in you. There has not been even moment I have not loved you fully, madly.
I wish you could see what I see when I look into your eyes. There is eternity behind them – there is joy and love and life and lightheartedness – so much life. You’re barely out the starting gate…
I wish for you to have no heartbreaks or sorrow. But if you must, I wish for the LORD to be your comfort (your keeper and the Lover of your soul) so you’ll look back and say, “I would not trade the pain for how I know Him today. It has been worth it.”
My prayer is that you’ll have joy and rejoicing in these early twenties: “in the days of your full-grown youth.” (Ecc. 11.9 Amp). I hope you will relish your youthful vigor and live fully from the heart, seeing and pursuing whatever brings you happiness and pleases the Lord.
“Oh how sweet the light of day, and how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour…Live footloose and fancy free. You won’t be young forever.” (Ecc. 11 The message)
May the LORD bless you and keep you, my Stormkins. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the smile of the LORD be on your life and may you bring Him joy and be His forever.
Happy Birthday, my baby. Twenty-three years ago today was such a blessed day in my life. I didn’t even know how much at the time, but, wow! God was so good to have given you to me! I love you, babykins!…mom
NOTE TO SELF: Take Stormie to Anthropologie for her birthday. Buy her something sweet.
pictured: I was trying to find a good pic of Stormie’s eyes because I love them. This was as close as I could get; Stormie on 4/15/86 with her daddy just a little while after her birth.
