Happy Birthday Renee!!

This pretty girl is three today!!

I love you my sweet Renee!  My mama's heart is so full today.  You add so much fun and giggles to my life.  I am so thankful to have you as a daughter.  But I have not forgotten the mama who gave you life.  I know that she has been thinking about you.  I can not replace her, but if she could read this blog I would want her to know that I love you as my own! You are an amazing smart girl and your first mother would be so proud of you!!  One of the great events that has happened this week that shows just how smart you are and how you are developing is the wonderful word "why!"  It is the word you say after every statement I make.  It is like a light switch was turned on and you went from never saying it to saying it 20 times a day!!  You make me laugh!

 

Sorry for being so silent.  There is much to catch everyone up on, but first pictures from today's events.  We have a homeschool co-op that meets 2 times a month and today was co-op so we celebrated there.  We are having a family party Sunday.

She got to open 2 presents tonight after dinner at her Pap Pap's house.  Her youngest brother told her to close her eyes and wait for her surprise.  I love this picture.

So Daniel brought them out.

Paper dolls have changed a lot since I was a little girl!!

 

It has been a very busy day and there was no time that we could all be together as a family to celebrate.  That is why we are waiting until Sunday for her official party and then we found out today that our oldest son has to work on Sunday. Ugh, I give up!  Our family schedule is crazy right now.  But by the end of this week there will be no more basketball games and by the end of February, my husband will finally be a graduate after 13 long years of, off and on again college classes.  He only went back to school a few years ago because he realized that if he lost his job, that it would be very hard to get a job if he didn't have a bachelor degree.  Little did he know that that decision would mean so much.  He lost his job with 3 classes to go.  He took 2 classes during the 3 months that he was laid off and he is in his 3rd and final class!  Our other important news we have is.... drum roll please............ He started his new job on Jan. 17! It is amazing to me just how slow companies can move at times.  It didn't help that it was the end of the year.  Tim found out about this job 3 days after being laid off.  It was approved for 2013's budget so it took awhile until they were willing to interview him.  He interiviewed before Christmas, but the whole fiscal cliff had the company concerned.  Big sigh of relief to be on the other side of unemployment.  No fun to go through, but I have a whole new understanding of what it means to be unemployed.  Just one of many things that you have to go through so you can empathize with others in ways you couldn't before.  Thanks so much for your prayers and kind words during our time of waiting.

I have more pictures to post, but I will save them for another post.