Happy Birthday!

(I found lots of fun pictures like this when I uploaded pictures after Ashley and Caleb's trip this fall.)

This little miss is 24 today! I remember, vividly, the day that I went to meet her in the hospital. She was a c-section and had a perfectly round head, smooth pink skin and kissable cheeks. Once she came home she was the object of everyone's affection. Emily and I fought constantly over who got to hold the baby. We're still fighting over who gets Ashley. We all want her all the time.

She continues to be a ray of sunshine and a blessing to all who are lucky enough to have her in their lives. It has been immensely rewarding to watch her become the incredible mother that she is to Adelaide. I feel closer to her now than I ever have. I love mothering together and only wish that she were closer and we could do it more often. I frequently lament the fact that I am raising these boys on my own and without family to sit around and appreciate them with me. When Ashley and Caleb were recently here I got a small dose of just that. She was there to appreciate the subtleties of my boys' personalities and quirks. We giggled as we watched the interactions of Addie with my boys. She noticed the details that I needed her to. I tried, with my boys help, to kidnap Addie and keep her when they flew back to Utah in September.

I love Ashley's ability to laugh at herself and to make the best of whatever her situation is. This quality has and will continue to serve her well. What a blessing it is to call her my sister. Happy Birthday Ashley!