How do I love you?....let me count the ways~

This past year Rae has started to understand the holidays and enjoy them more. After Christmas and the New Year celebrations were over she ask me, "Ok, what's next?"

Honestly, she's counting down to her birthday the end of Feb. but she's also realized there's always another holiday coming! I explained to her about Valentines day, which she's excited about. Holiday to her means candy! So.....as I lay in bed last night unable to drift off to sleep I thought about my children and all that I love about them. I could go on and on but I will keep it to my top 5 favorite things about each one.

(Hope you enjoy our Jekyll Island pictures. I'm a little tired of the cold!!)

Rae

1. Her hair!! I wish I had her color and hope it always stays the summer strawberry blond/winter auburn it is now.

2. Her own vocabulary......."song sleeve"......"roll-it-paper"......"feeegot"

3. Her sweet, reserved personality. To some she's shy but to me she's cautious, she's a very good judge of character.

4. She has a great imagination! You never know what she'll be dressed in the next time she enters the room, but be sure she'll have a purse full with all her necessities ;)

5. She's my baby! No matter how old she is she'll always be my baby. Each milestone she passes is bittersweet. I wish we could keep her this age forever!!

Ali

1. She is so helpful and actually does a great job! She's been able to fold laundry since she was 3 yrs. old!

2. She's the little "mommy". She knows how the house is supposed to run and keeps us all on track. Before Nate was old enough to babysit I would always tell the sitter to ask Ali if they had any questions, she always new the answers!

3. She LOVES babies more than I do! Since birth she has had a collection of dolls, although she much prefers the real thing. The amazing part is that she knows what to do to calm babies and is so at ease when caring for an infant.

4. She is a wonderful big sister! Rae was a "real" baby for Ali. Ali has cared for her since birth, they are almost 4 yrs. apart. Ali plays with her for hours daily and teaches Rae so much! She is everything a sister should be!

5. Her energy! She has tons of it and she's always up for a good time ;)

Randee

1. She is very caring! When one of her sisters are mean to her she usually will not argue back but is very hurt that they would say or do something mean.

2. She loves animals! This is a testament to genetics! Her great grandfather was a large animal vet. and since she was old enough to talk she has loved animals! No baby dolls for her, she collected plastic horses and at one point had like 45!! She also rides horses with such grace and confidence that there's no doubt she came to this earth with this talent.

3. Her fashion sense. She amazes me with the different outfits she puts together, they work so well. After yrs. of picking out her clothes it's fun to see her style emerging.

4. She's a good cook. She is a huge help in the kitchen! When Ran and I go out on Friday nights she cooks dinner for the kids, SO NICE!!

5. Her beauty! She has no idea how beautiful she is inside and out. I often wonder what she'll look like at 16 when she's so stunning at 12, guess I'll just have to wait and see!

Nate
1. He is patient and kind. He is so much like his father. He, to the core, is a kind person. He is so sweet with his sisters, unless of course he's teasing them ;0)
2. His determination and love of baseball. This is another "born with" talent and love. One of his first words was ball. He has played every year since he was 5. Some seasons are better than others yet his love of the game never wavers, just like both his grandfathers.
3. He is my "bud". I like him so much. I love to sit and talk with him, for I know the next few years will fly by. All too soon he'll be out of the nest :(
4. He is a righteous example. I'm thankful for the way he lives the gospel. He is an example not only to his sisters but also to his parents.
5. His willingness to help. More than once he has been asked to come out of bed to solve a computer problem, he never complains. Of course the times he's helped with the computer before bedtime are endless.......

I am blessed! Heavenly Father sent me the perfect four spirits to fill my earth life with joy, laughs and continuous learning experiences. I love them so much and feel honored to be their "Mommy".
(ok, where's the tissue?)