Birthday Girl

We celebrated Brooklyn's birthday yesterday. I can't believe I now have a one year old baby. The party was great. Many sweet people came and showed their love to Brooklyn. These are only a few in attendence.



And she got a ton of loot. Her pretty party dress made her the belle of the ball.



The cake, food and decorations were top notch.





She played SO WELL with the other little kids. I'm very proud of her.




Sadly, there are no cake smashing pictures. Brooklyn was tired and irritable at the moment we brought out the cake and all she did was cry when she saw it. Poor baby was in sensory overload. That's okay though. There will be other birthdays and other cakes to smash. I've learned to never hang your hat on certain expectations. Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don't. If you go into with that mentality, you won't be terribly disappointed when things don't go as planned. Roll with it, baby!

I'm so thankful to all of our guests. I'm especially thankful to my husband, my parents & my in-laws for all their hard work. They cooked, cleaned, shopped, baked, set up, cleaned up and did basically everything needed to make a party run smoothly.

Happy Birthday to Me!

We all slept in this morning but when I went to see the baby this is what I found:



Lunch in the village with John & Brooklyn. Thai Thai's...nummers!!

Lots of great pictures in the park.






Dinner with family & friends. More great pictures. What a luxurious day!

Dearest Little Bean

Your daddy turns 35 today. I just wanted to tell you what a wonderful man he is and why I love him so much. He is my blessing in life and was an absolute gift from God. I prayed to God about what kind of husband I always dreamed of and God gave me everything I wanted and a whole lot more. Your daddy makes my life happier just by walking into the room!

He is an honorable man who always keeps his promises. Even if a task is hard or boring he will do it to the very best of his ability. He never takes the easier way out. And he always makes sure that he can do all that is involved before he commits to anything. This is one of the many great lessons I've learned from him over the years. And he's never let me down.

Your daddy is hilarious! He keeps me in stitches all the time. Not a day goes by that we aren't cracking up together. It makes it difficult to argue because when he makes me laugh I forget what I was upset about. I love that about him!

He has a very giving heart. He impresses me often with how much of his time and money he gives to those he loves or those in need. I know God is honored with the loose grip John has on his belongings. I pray this is something we can teach you.

Your daddy loves his family very much. He respects his parents, dotes on his nephew and always has some time for his grandparents. He's crazy about me and loves you to pieces already. Do you hear him when he tells you Good Morning every day? He can't wait to hold you and kiss your forehead.

He's a very patient person and I know he's going to adore teaching you new things. John doesn't think he's good at teaching people but I watch him gently explain how to do something and take his time to make sure they understand. He is patient with me in many ways. When I get frustrated with something he helps me through it without getting mad.

Your daddy loves and serves God. This is my favorite quality about him. He tries to live in a way that honors God with his actions, thoughts and his words. To me he is a great example of someone who lives out their relationship with God rather than just talking or reading about it.

These things have made him an excellent husband and friend, and I know they are going to make him an even better daddy to you.

Sleep tight my little Bean. Know that you are loved by a great man.