Don't let this one be the last one!!!

 Heather...don't claim this bday the last one...there are so many more memories that come with the coming years as well...accept them as the gift that each one will be!!!

This year has been a difficult year for you and your family and I've watched God stretch you in so many ways...I've watched you continue on in your walk with Him even though it looks very different that you thought it would look...It is new...fresh...sometimes scary...but you still follow...I'm so thankful you didn't choose to just quit...He has new mercies every single day...thank goodness for His goodness, grace and mercy!!!

I've watched you pour difficult truths into the kids this year...help them walk through hard times and hard changes but pushing them to hang on tight...never giving up on the Lord...teaching them we living in a flawed world but serve a perfect Savior...such an amazing lesson to witness you teach them...

I've watched you fall more and more in love with your new position...seeing the potential in all your kiddos that God brings into you serve time...caring enough to push for their very best...

I think so often of the movie, Facing the Giants...when the coach has the kid do the death crawl...the kid promises to give all he has...his very best until he can't give anymore...with another kid on his back...the coach blindfolds him so that he doesn't see how far he has come and gives up to quick...the kid takes off...strong...it gets harder and harder...til he is beginning to wonder if he can keep it up...the coach gets down on his hands and knees...screaming at the kid...YOUR VERY BEST...GIVE ME YOUR VERY BEST...I KNOW IT'S HARD BUT DON'T QUIT...finally the kid says I can't do it anymore...I have to be 1/2 across the field...the coach takes his blindfold off and tells him...you are in the end zone...he had crawled the entire way...with another kid on his back the entire length of the field...that is what you, as a mom does...or as a teacher does...or as a leader does...and when it was hard this year...you didn't quit...and look up and see where He has you now...it's a different season...but it is good!

Never give up...I'm so thankful for you and to you...I love you...I can't wait to get away in a couple of weeks...so looking forward to it!!! I pray your day is so very special!!!!

Love you~

Mom

So sorry Cassie!!!

Since I've started writing these memories to my kids for their birthdays...I've never been this late with one. But Cas, I've tried to find words for 2 months now...

I've watched you grow into the woman you are with much grace in your life...I watched you overcome fear and obstacles and come out of your shell way more than your momma ever learned how to. 

I'm thankful I don't see my parenting skills in you! I've watched you attempt to be very intentional with your time with the kids this year especially as Ayden's senior year approaches...

I've watched you be weary as a teacher this year and yet more passionate than ever for the education of your little friends. A passion that purses whatever it may take to help them to succeed to the very best that they can be!

I've watched you pray over friends, losses and heartache this year...standing your ground with it's not easy, leading the kids department at church, again, with the same passion...desiring for those kids to know they are not only loved by Jesus...but they are genuinely love by those of us at EBC...

I'm so proud to be your mom. I'm thankful we like each other...praying this year is full of sweet memories.!

I love you~

Mom 

52 weeks

I've dreaded this day all week long...52 weeks without you...But this morning as I started driving to another grandkid's event...everything was covered with a heavy, heavy frost...it looked like a winter wonderland. I found myself thinking about how long and hard winter can be...but it can also be so beautiful...and I though of you, pawpaw...how this past year has felt a bit like winter...but there is beauty in the sadness...

For me, the sadness comes for all the missing I feel...miss just seeing your face...seeing you laugh with that little hand clap you'd do when something tickled you! Or how you'd brag about how smart one of the grands would do something you thought was funny and smart! Sadness in 52 weeks of not seeing your smiling face greeting me at church...and getting to hug you and tell you I love you...

But then there's the beautiful side of it! You have been in the very presence of Jesus for 365 days...the thought of that gives me such wonder and joy all at the same time! I know it's okay to miss you and to talk about you and remember you but I also know it's okay to be joyful for all that you have witnessed the past 365 days...the joy you must feel...the worship you must be experiencing...the fact that all your tears have been wiped away. 

So we start year 2 now...but I'll hold on to the sweet memories you gave me over the 40 years you were in my life...and I'll smile when I remember something funny you said...and I'll praise the Lord that you are with Him...worshipping...and I find myself wondering if you get to be one of the ones who welcomes the new ones...not real sure how all that works...I think Jesus WELCOMES us...but you can greet them! No one did it better here!!! Love you paw paw so much!

 

Beks

 What can be said about a wife, mom and teacher who gives as much of herself as she can to all three...and the bonus is she loves Jesus too!!! 

I'm so very thankful to call her mine...seems like every year she gets harder and harder on herself...so just let me say a few things I see in our Bekah...

She truly does love Jesus

She loves my son!...and has walked him through so really tough days this past year

She makes beautiful babies!!!!

She cares about her kiddos characters...

She is kind

She is a teacher who really cares about her students futures and educations

I just want her to know what an amazing person she is...what a great momma she is...wife...teacher...friend...and let me just end with...she is the very BEST daughter in law I could ever have!!!

Love ya Beks...

Happy Birthday Katie!

Katie,

I find myself thinking more and more where did the years go...with each one of you kids! I was thinking just this morning...I can see you, me and your sisters walking passed J C Penny...and you saying your saying...and I could vividly remember Cassie telling you...Katie! That was cute when you were little but you are in the 3rd grade now...it's NOT cute anymore...and I think I told you it would always be cute...oh to walk back to one of those days even for just a minute!!!

I'm finding it hard to find words today...for obvious reasons...but I want to say how proud I am of the woman, wife, mama, friend, sister, aunt and daughter you are! I was so very sure when I had Michael that would be it...he would be my baby...but instead God blessed me with another one too!!!! I think our whole family would agree life would have been just a bit more boring without you in it...and it was REAL exciting with Michael AND you conniving together!!! This week has been another hard one for our family...and I apologize for my lose of words to you this year...but let me just end with this...you were the perfect exclamation mark at the end of our little family! Have the sweetest day with your fella...and know I love you so very much!!!!

Mama

...when did this happen...

 Do you remember when we were 18 and 19 and thought we had it all figured out? Or when we turned 30...and to our amazement we were still the same people we had been in our 20's...we didn't all of the sudden become "wise". Then the 40's came and the grands started coming...but we still felt like the same people...I know by the time I was in my 40's I finally was able to like myself a little...here we are...or should I say you are at 60...and still I look at you and see that crazy country boy I fell in love with!!! 

I thought you were the strongest thing I'd ever seen...and you had a hairy chest just like Starsky on Starsky and Hutch...you knew how to laugh like I'd never experienced before...I would learn later...that yes you have a great sense of humor...but more than that you have a joy from the LORD that impacts you life like crazy...you had a really cool pickup and I loved sitting next to you...I even loved riding the motorcycle with you to grandma Lambs!!! I can still see you sitting at our table in our first home...with your first birthday cake I ever made you...with one large tapered candle on it cause that's all we had...I remember the look on your face as you held each of the kids for the first time...the look on your face when you got that boy...then the look when you realized he really didn't like you that first year...but then I remember the smirk on your face as you 2 would head out to Conway knowing he was going to get gatorade and chips for breakfast...or the time Katie asked you if girls could be truckdrivers too...or the look on your face the morning you woke Cassie up for her wedding day...or the day Heather finally convinced you she WAS having twins...

So here we are...you at 60 and me close on your heels...and I see the same man...but with more joy than before...who loves our kids and grandkids like crazy and will play with the grands and then pay for that for days later...and who makes me feel...safe...protected...cherished and loved...

I pray today is as special as you are...I love you so very much...

~beth

Michael

 Another year has blown by. I can't believe how fast time is going. I can look back and see how fast it really was with you when you were small...but that doesn't even compare to how fast it is going with the grands!!! 

I just want to say thanks today! Thanks for being the funny kid you were and for passing on that to your kids!!! Thanks for letting dad be your hero in those young years...and passing that on to your kids!!! For loving the outdoors back in the day...and passing that on...for teasing people...and passing that on...for loving Jesus...and teaching that to your kids...for loving Bekah...and teaching the kids that...for teaching them about a honey...thanks for forgiveness...and teaching the kids that...I love when one will apologize and the other says...I forgive you...

In some ways everything I see in you I'm not surprise...I always knew you'd be a great husband, dad and provider...I'm not sure I thought you'd really drive a truck but wouldn't have guessed a banker!!!! Boy that made my dad proud!!!! However, there is not one person I come in contact with that finds out you are mine and work were you do...that doesn't tell me how much that think of you and appreciate you and what you do to help them out!!!

I look at this world of chaos and see you living your best life...providing for your family...spiritually, financially and through...livestock...gardens...land...and love!

I'm honored to call you my son...I love you and prayed you have an amazing day!!!

~Mom