:the one where i offer six things for her sixth:

1. on your birthday now and forever, i will always make your favorite meals. i love that today you asked for sausage links for breakfast. livermush and eggs for lunch and an egg sandwich for dinner.

2. while on your journey you may find that your ideals clash with mine. know this little one, mommy accepts you and loves you and hopes great things for you. nothing can separate us my dear.

3. you have a contagious love for those you encounter. you are the friendliest kid i know. somewhere along the way someone may try to crush your spirit which will leave you guarded and afraid. don't let them. remember we love because he loved us. he never stopped and neither should we. shake it off and love with folly. always.

4. you will make mistakes. there is grace for every single one. grace, grace and more grace.

5. your brother and sister are your best friends.

6. you made me a mom and that is the greatest gift you will ever give me. you point me to Him on a daily basis with your childlike faith. you are a gift, a good and perfect gift.

happy 6th birthday little one of mine!

::today it has to be said::

some people walk into your life and totally change it. that's what this guy did for me. he loved me. sincerely loved me...and still does. he goes out of his way for me. never raises his voice to me. has never ever ever said anything unkind to me. he is patient with me. he is genuine and sincere. his love for others, even in the midst of attack, inspires me. he's fun and funny. he's social and easy-going. he's positive and hopeful. he's a hard worker and a great student. he speaks with passion. he's a devoted friend, husband and daddy. his children adore him...like "hey what's up mama (now get out of the way i see)....DAAAAAADDDDDYYYYY!!!!"

he is a good man. and today is his birthday so eisley came up with a few things that she loves about her daddy. i typed as she spoke so these are her words.

i love....
that he plays tag and dinosaurs and every time he does that i laugh.
that we watch movies together.
that he plays with me and talks with me and builds a tent for me.
that he plays baby dolls with me.
that he gives me good piggy-back rides.
that he plays balloon with me.
that he plays ball and horsey.
that he plays catch and softball.
that we play lots of hide and seek.

{happy birthday jacob!}

we love you

{wasn't it just yesterday}

wasn't it just yesterday that i laid you in the bassinet by my bed and woke up a million times an hour just to make sure you were breathing?

wasn't it just yesterday that we heard that belly laugh for the first time?

wasn't it just yesterday that you were in your high chair learning to use a spoon?

wasn't it just yesterday that you learned to crawl....backwards?

wasn't it just yesterday that you took your first steps using mommies balance ball wearing the cutest pink foot-jammies?

wasn't it just yesterday that you said *mama* for the first time? now you use words like *actually* and *realize* in proper context.

wasn't it just yesterday that i guided you up and down the kiddie slide? now you go up and down the big-kid slide no sweat.

wasn't it just yesterday that you learned to hold a crayon? now you draw vivid pictures that grace our refrigerator every day.

wasn't it just yesterday that you were drinking from a bottle? now you request a big-kid cup with no lid.

wasn't it just yesterday that you were asking for gum? and i was saying *you can have gum when you are four* because that seemed so far away.

wasn't it just yesterday that your curls barely reached your shoulders? now we are talking about your first *big girl* hair cut.

wasn't it just yesterday???

and today...today you are FOUR.

a wonderful, beautiful, wouldn't trade this moment for the world FOUR.
{happy happy birthday sweet girl}
mommy loves you more than you will ever know.