The Day of my Erika's Birth!

Wow! I can't believe it has been 19 years since Erika was born! I love my sweet Tiny! She is so loving and intelligent and beautiful! I am so very thankful for her! I am thankful that she is one of my lovely daughters. She is a true blessing to me and to our family. I won't see her today and that is very strange for me. This is the second time that I haven't been able to see her on her birthday. The first time was 2 years ago when she went to Hershey Park on a band trip. I love this picture of her. It is very typical of Erika. She is always telling the people she cares about that she loves them. She is very kind-hearted just like her sister. I love, Love, LOve, LOVe, LOVE my girls!

What I was thinking this morning

I was thinking this morning (amazing, isn't it?) as I was reading the Book of Mormon that I so want to be a Nephi and not a Laman or Lemuel. If you've read the Book of Mormon, you know what I mean, and it may seem simple to you. However, as I was thinking about it, I was just impressed upon about how important it is for me to want to be a Nephi - faithful, true, obedient, loving, loyal. I needed to reaffirm in my mind that this is how I am going to be, no matter what comes along. I don't want to be like Laman or Lemuel - head strong, hard hearted, faithless, disobedient, selfish, greedy. I want to do all I can to help myself and my family to return to our Father in Heaven and to be able to live with Him again. I love my family so very much! I love each moment we are able to spend together!

This is a picture of the moon rising on a clear, winter evening. I love looking at the moon.

My sister, Joy, was nice enough to come over today and help me do some cleaning and organizing in my craft room. She is so nice to me! I am so thankful for my dear sister!

I am not feeling well today. I thought I was getting over this cold, but it seems to be trying to call for backup and take over my airways. Ugh! I don't like having a cold. I'm so whiney when I don't feel well. Poor Mike has to put up with me and he does it so cheerfully, too! :.)

continuing with Joanie

Joanie met Mike in the early fall of 1987. Joanie was very blessed to have met him and she is still blessed to have him around her every day!

This picture was taken around April of 1990 when Joanie was pregnant with their second daughter, Erika. What an active baby she was before she was born! And, she continued to be very energetic afterwards, too! Mike and Joanie are extremely blessed to have their two beautiful girls, Becky and Erika. They wouldn't trade their sweet daughters for anything!

Joanie is so thankful for her eternal family!

Ok. I'm done talking in the third person... :.) I am truly grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me to be sealed to my family for eternity. Mike has been so wonderful for me ever since I met him. He is calm and patient and doesn't worry. He has been gently teaching me these things since the beginning of our relationship. I, honestly, do love him more every day!

Becky and Erika are so kind and loving. I am very thankful that they have turned out this way! I love my girls SO MUCH!!!