Littlest, little girl…

Is already 4 years old!

 

Her birthday celebration was complete with rainbow cake made specially for her by her most favoritest person, Sammy!

 

It is so hard to believe that 4 years have already passed us by and Emma is now 4 years old.  It is just amazing how quickly it passes!  Here are few pictures of her first days.  The first couple of weeks after Emma’s birth is such a blur due to the complications that arose right after her birth, leaving me in surgery for eight hours and weeks to recover.

 

18 years ago…

The sweetest baby girl stole my heart…

and now she has grown into a beautiful young woman that is a blessing to all around her.

Happy Birthday, sweetie!

Linking up with friends at:

     

20 years ago…

How can it be that 20 years ago today that we brought home this adorable little guy…

We were young (16 and 18) and scared to death…

Many, many people said we wouldn’t make it…

(Reserve Champion market steer and Grand Champion Showmen)

(Shooting at Nationals for small bore pistol in 4H.)

But, oh how love grows…

By the good grace of God.

Happy 20th birthday wishes to Sawyer!  We are so proud of the young man you are…

Hayden’s Happy Birthday

Hayden’s Happy Birthday @ Papa’s and Grammy’s House

Hayden is our little miracle boy.  He was born at 27 weeks after my water broke at 25 weeks.  He was a 2 lbs 6.9 oz  and 13 1/2 inches long!  To read his birth story go here.

Mark’s hand over Hayden

This is a quick clip of one of Hayden’s first baths in the hospital.  The nurse is the one doing the talking in the video.

 

Hayden turning 2!

This is a very cute clip of Hayden trying to blow out his candles!

 

Hayden’s life started off a bit scary but he has been a total blessing!  He is such a hard worker and loves his family and friends so much.  He loves school, his chickens and helping others out.

Happy 9th Birthday!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to one who I love the most and feel so blessed that you are my own.

German Chocolate Cake

Tori made the wonderful cake, Maddie helped me make the frosting, the middle boys arranged the candles in an artful “37” and lit them (notice the meltage?!) and the lil’s helped blow out the candles.

Quite the crazy crew...

The cousins are over, so there is lots of wrestling going on (that’s why Hayden has his shirt off), Emmy was apparently someone’s paper, Zayne has his shirt on backwards, Maddie is being a bit dramatic, Teigen is being…well Teigen 🙂  Pretty normal; yep, pretty normal.

The cake

Once the melted wax was scraped off, the cake was delicious!!  It is a favorite here at our house.  Everything is made from scratch, even the caramel for the frosting!  Oh yum.

Happy Birthday my love!  LYFE.

Linking up with:

Macro Monday

My Happy Birthday Boys…

For our family June gets to be busier with gift giving than December…or at least it feels like it!  We have 3 very special boys that have birthdays all exactly a week apart. Throw in my mom’s birthday, my folks’ anniversary and Father’s Day it gets to be a lot of celebrating…

Zayne and Teigen

Garrett

Happy Birthday my boys!

~*~Emmalynn~*~

~*~Emmalynn~*~

~*~Sweet Girl~*~

~*~Happy~*~

~*~Emma~*~

Just cause she’s a year old!

~*~Smilin'~*~

Meeting Emma…

It is so hard to believe that a whole year has already passed us by and Emma is now a year old.  It is just amazing how quickly it passes!  Most of these pictures I have not shared before, it is with mixed emotions that I share them now.  The first couple of weeks after Emma’s birth is such a blur due to the complications that arose right after her birth, leaving me in surgery for eight hours and weeks to recover.

Looking back to this time we are most thankful for:

• The prayers of our friends and family through months of bed rest through today.   🙂
• Wonder children (and husband) who were just so helpful and thoughtful.
• Pastor Chris and Peggy Sue visiting us right before surgery to pray with us.
• The prayers and peace that I felt during surgery.
• Wonderful doctors and nurses.
• A healthy and beautiful baby GIRL!
• The Rickel Family for visiting us and praying with us at the hospital.
• Our parents and family.
• Our wonderful church family that pampered us for many weeks after coming home from the hospital.
• God’s sovereignty over it all.

Emma was (and still is) a pretty easy going baby.  She was rarely fussy and one of my easiest babies, it was God giving me what I really needed at that time.  We all have enjoyed her so much this past year, she makes the crankiest of us smile and laugh!

Before surgery.

She's here!

Meeting...on the outside.

Talking to dad.

The littles...

With Hayden.

Meeting Sawyer...

Victoria and Emma...

Madeline and Emmalynn...

Garrett and Em...

Teigen and Emma...

Zayne meeting Emma...

With Daddy and Zayne...

With Auntie Abigail...

With Uncle Jason...

With Papa Ed...

Happy FIRST  Birthday Little Girl!

~Madeline Mae~

How is it that 12 short years ago such a precious little girl entered the world and grew into the beautiful young lady she is today?

Sisters

With Uncle Jason

Family of 6

With daddy and holding Garrett's hand...

Happy Girl...

Big Sister

Flower Girl...

12 years old!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Seven?

It only seems like a short time ago that this little man decided to make his debut 13 weeks early, with his little fists clenched tightly he let out a cry and made his presence known.

Hayden hours old with Mark's hand on his back.

Hayden's little hand.

Through many ups and downs Hayden made his way.  By his first birthday it felt as if he had been a baby forever, it felt as if he would never make it to the next stage of life…

 

Hayden is 7!

…and now I wish he would slow down a bit.  I can’t believe he’s seven already!

 

~*~Happy Birthday Hayden~*~

We love your wonderful smile and your witty sense of humor!

Hope you have a fun filled day.