11 years ago today we were blessed when we held you in our arms for the first time.  Here you are with Daddy and Mommy when you were just 2 weeks old.

You were 6 lbs, 1 oz., so very tiny, but big enough to fill our hearts and home with love and wonder!  I remember being admitted into the hospital 2 weeks prior to your due date because of preeclampsia. To make a long story short, I was able to labor on my own without being induced and in about 6 hours with no epidural, you went from your dark, peaceful home into this bright, big world!  Your Daddy and I had tears of joy when we saw you for the first time!

I remember crying myself to sleep one afternoon soon after we got home from the hospital because you were so tiny and I was struggling to get you to latch on so I could nurse  you.  Your Daddy woke me from my nap to tell me that he had made a phone call to our local La Leche League and made an appointment for us to see a consultant.  I remember the feeling of gratitude and relief after our appointment because I was soon able to nurse you.  I remember thinking that you have a wonderful Daddy and I have a supportive and loving husband.


 

I remember that even as a little girl you loved learning about our Catholic faith.  I remember for your First Holy Communion three years ago, we went and took a picture at the same church that I received my First Holy Communion.  I remember thinking "Wow! You really do look like me!"







Today our family remembers how blessed we are to have you in our lives! You are growing to be such a beautiful young lady inside and out. Happy Birthday! We love you!

SUPER Sleepy...


SUPER Snake...
Last week my son was in the woods with some of his friends and he came running into our house shouting, "We caught a snake Mom!"  Yep, my son and his friends somehow managed to capture a garden snake and they played with it for two days!  The neighborhood kids were all so very excited and my son was oh so very disappointed that we couldn't keep it as a pet! 

Not too far from our home is a local arboretum that is 7-acres in the heart of the county I live in where "homeowners can see the variety of plants that grow in our area as well as emerging trends in plant material."  My two oldest children currently take a Junior Master Gardening homeschool class at the arboretum once a week and they have learned so much about gardening and have enjoyed their time in class.  While my oldest children were in class one week, I took some pictures of the beautiful scenery in the gardens at the arboretum.

  






Our arboretum visits are always a treat for our family since the scenery and landscaping is so beautiful!

Thank you for all those that entered the Unplanned DVD Giveaway that I posted about HERE last week! The winner of the DVD through Inlinkz random drawing is Joann, the #24 entry! Congratulations Joann!

Now onto some Wordless Wednesday pics that I am titling


The 3 hanging baskets on our front porch that I picked out on Mother's Day.  We got these from Harris Teeter.  Unfortunately, there was no coupon to use when we bought them :) 














Please join Lynda, Anna-Marie, and myself at No Ordinary Blog Hop (NOBH).  Click button below for details and to read and follow some great blog posts that have already linked up!

"The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral-a dwelling place for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body...Even the angels have not been given such a grace! What is more glorious than this - to be a mother."  

-Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty