Happy 18th Birthday Erika!

 Our first baby is now an adult! Erika has been a blessing her entire childhood and I know she will continue to bless this world as a grown up. It is very odd to think any time at all has passed from that day that Matt broke a sweat anxiously getting Erika safely in her car seat for the hospital ride home to her 18th birthday. We are proud of who Erika is and who she will continue to grow and develop to be. Erika is a delight to everyone around her, a fantastic older sister, a great example to younger kids, a patient and kind teacher, a faithful friend, and a servant of Christ. Her heart is pure and goodness pours out of her. She is stubborn enough to keep parenting interesting. One of her best qualities is to evaluate herself or her reactions and use them to become better. This year had a lot of introductions to adult-sized feelings and scenarios and reactions and decisions and she handled them beautifully. Even if she is disappointed with the consequence of how she handled or spoke, she is willing to talk through what went wrong and make a plan on how to handle future choices to where she won't be frustrated or regretful. She has solidified her decision to become a teacher as a career and it is a profession that was made with her in mind! She adores kids and has the patience and strength and enthusiasm and desire to make each child she interacts with feel appreciated and respected and loved. Erika is ready to be on her own and looking forward to it! But she loves her family and desires the support and safety we bring to her. She has her future in her sights and it includes living right next door to her sister....which was my dream for them as well! Erika loves country music, shrimp, driving with the windows down, listening to her music loudly, Airhead sour strips, new clothes, silver jewelry, sweet tea, applesauce, and Camp Yamhill. She doesn't like eating anything other than cereal for breakfast, charging her phone, melted cheese, hanging up her clothes, speaking quietly, telling short stories, people touching her hair, or mayonnaise on a sandwich. If you know Erika, you are so very blessed! We have had 18 years with this beautiful, talented, amazing, devoted, kind, sincere, boisterous, God-fearing, intelligent, funny young woman. We are so thankful that God placed her with us and look forward to being with her as she continues to mature and grow and become her own. We love you more than words can ever express Baby Boo!!

1. What is your favorite color? Teal
2. What is your favorite sport? Soccer
3. What is your favorite fruit? Raspberries
4. What is your favorite movie? Tangled
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Mac and cheese
6. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Birthday cake
7. What is your favorite subject in school? History
8. What is your favorite snack? Poppyseed muffins
9. What is your favorite animal? Dog
10. What is your favorite song? Where the Green Grass Grows
11. What is your favorite book? The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
12. Who is your best friend? Kennedy, Emma and Sophie
13. What is your favorite cereal? Fruity Pebbles
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Ride 4-wheelers and hike
15. What is your favorite drink? Sweet tea
16. What is your favorite holiday? 4th of July
17. What is your favorite restaurant? Jem 100
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Spaghetti and shrimp
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? 1st grade teacher

Sweet 16 for Laurel

 Happy 16th birthday to our Laurel Ann! What a true privilege it has been to watch her grow into a confident, sweet, fun, loving, and compassionate young lady. Laurel has a heart that is full of service and commitment and integrity. Her faith in God, her family, and her friends is unwavering. She is a woman of her word...her yes is yes and her no is no. This kind of truth is refreshing and something to aspire to....unless it has to do with asking her to do her chores that she doesn't want to do. Laurel knows what is right and does it. She knows what is wrong and stays away from it. She sees people clearly and truly and will not bend to what others want her to be. Her compliments and encouragement are sincere and real. She doesn't know how to be fake. Her face says what she is thinking and feeling....sometimes to a fault but you are always very clear with Laurel and her thoughts and emotions. She converses well with adults and prefers being with adults two generations above her. Laurel's stubbornness comes on hot when she is angry....if you try and correct her when she's already angry about something you shouldn't waste your time. She prefers alone time but always has friends surrounding her. She is quick to help others when needed and is a quiet leader. She writes the best notes to others and her cup is filled when she receives written notes complimenting her. She loves making bracelets, sweatshirts, chocolate milk, hamburgers, bouncy balls, ducks, Panda Express, sleeping in, fuzzy blankets, watching shows on the iPad, her youth group, soccer, and peanut butter no bakes. She doesn't like putting her shoes away in her room, roast, cake, shopping for too long, chores, reading signs, leaving enough space between her and the car in front of her while driving, or going to sleep with wet hair. Laurel has a dry sense of humor that is so refreshing...you often have to be pretty quiet to hear just how funny she is! She says catchphrases that are pretty close to being right, but with a twist that is hilarious and often times makes more sense than the actual phrase! Laurel loves her brother and sister and friends so much....she is selfless and kind and truly wants the best for others. She gets frustrated with others and isn't as kind but it doesn't happen very often. She is an example to her peers and adults alike on how to live a life full of integrity and happiness and peace. We are the most blessed parents with this fantastic young woman who loves us and encourages us and challenges us to be our best. We love you more than you will know, little Lolo!

1. What is your favorite color? Light Pink
2. What is your favorite sport? Soccer
3. What is your favorite fruit? Apple
4. What is your favorite movie? Pitch Perfect
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Nara Teriyaki chicken and rice
6. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate chip cookie dough
7. What is your favorite subject in school? Math
8. What is your favorite snack? Cheezits
9. What is your favorite animal? Duck
10. What is your favorite song? Flowers in the Water
11. What is your favorite book? The Selection
12. Who is your best friend? Paisley
13. What is your favorite cereal? Captain Crunch
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Shoot my BB gun
15. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What is your favorite restaurant? Five Guys
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Sausage on English muffin with syrup and bacon bits
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Hamburgers
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Physical Therapist