Taking the Birthday Back!

Birthdays are to celebrate the specialness of someone and to let them know how grateful we are that they were born and are a part of our lives.  This wonderful girl had that taken away from her last year, so as a family we are helping her Take the Birthday Back.  In our house, we do Birthdays.  We start early with breakfast in bed and a shower of gifts and well wishes.  We give lots of hugs and loves and "it's your Birthday, hey, hey, hey" songs.  We try to get the birthday person to wear the Birthday Hat, but that seems more like a punishment, so we don't do that anymore.  We have the dinner of their choice, and homemade cake and ice cream (also of their choice).  The whole extended family comes to help celebrate and give notes of love.  Everyone deserves one day during the year where THEY are celebrated and feted.  We love this girl.  She is someone I greatly admire and look up to.  I am in awe at her strength and bravery.

Awesome
Sparkly
Hilarious
Loving
Entertaining
Youthful

I love that you still love to snuggle with your stuffed animals, hang out in your sweats and slippers, give the best hugs.  You are my precious baby, now and for always.  Love you, Ash!

"I Foted!"

When Ashley ("Jonesy") was about three years old, she went with her daddy to the polling location and "helped" him fill out his ballot.  She was so excited to get that sticker, and proudly told everyone that she "foted." As a little girl who couldn't pronounce her r's, it sounded like she was unashamedly owning up to passing gas.  We all got a chuckle out of it, and subsequently tucked her word seamlessly into our family's vocabulary.  Today, Steve and I were sitting on the couch watching t.v. when a news blurb came on about the low voter turn out.  We looked at each other,  put on our shoes and raced down to City Hall and literally walked through the doors at 7:59 p.m. to exercise one of our precious rights as citizens of this great country.  WE FOTED!  In the hallowed words of our brother-in-law, Treion...."I LOVE AMERICA!"

Sleep Over

Kelsey called me on Monday, begging me and Mads to come down to Provo for a sleep over.  She is so lonely without Covey.  It's extra lonely after coming home from spending nine days with him in Oregon.  This Summer Sales job is HARD.  But Covey is doing great, and he is providing for his family.  At my daughters plea, I couldn't help but want to go spend the night with her.  After work on Monday, Madi and I packed an overnight bag and headed to Provo, arriving just in time to meet Kelsey for some Indian food at The Bombay House and then going back to her place to change into our hiking clothes. After all of the good food, I was feeling a need for a good work out for my bum and legs.  I was really glad that my girls were willing to indulge me.  I had forgotten how steep the trail can be going up Y mountain.  By turn 5 (out of 11) Madi was feeling a little sick and was worried about the Indian food making an appearance.  We soldiered on, and were rewarded with a spectacular view of the valley bathed in the receding rays of early twilight.  We sat on the white washed rocks of the Y and talked about life and where it had taken us and where it was heading.  We talked about Ashley, who is on her own journey to redemption, healing, happiness and new found self.  We talked about Markelle and the turn her life has taken.  We talked about school and Adam (Madi) and potential babies (Kelsey) and dads and dogs.  The words continued as we worked our way, carefully, down the trail in the dark.  When we reached Kelsey's house, we cleaned up, got into our J's and snuggled altogether in Kelsey's bed to watch some episodes of "Once Upon a Time."  This will definitely have to become a frequent tradition, at least while Covey is away.