Be"cousin" this month is such a special one!!!

When we first moved to New Mexico Riley was 4 and Oliver was 3 and I remember probably within the first month or two Riley asking me "Hey Mom, when are we going to make new cousins?" She was excited about making "new friends" and meeting new people but she felt, even at the young age of 4, an emptiness for one of life's "coolest" relationships. My kids are lucky to have so many fun cousins! On Travis' side alone there are over 20 grand kids. I am so grateful that these relationships have seemed to pick up where they have left off every time we return for a visit. This last visit was primarily for a wedding....but we turned it into a birthday celebration too!

I can hardly believe that my sweet baby Georgi is 4 years old. When we moved here she was only a wish that I wasn't sure would ever come true. Georgi is my feisty little girl who I can honestly say saved my life, my marriage, and my sanity. Before she came into our family I was so wrapped up in a depressing fog of having lost 3 babies and moved 600 miles away from the life I knew. When I had her, she brought me new hope and showed me a love from our Heavenly Father that I had never felt before!

Oliver is 8....wow 8! Sometimes I wish I could keep my children little and not have them reach the age of accountability. I guess what I am saying is I just want everything to be on my shoulders, but that isn't the plan I chose and it isn't the plan Oliver chose either. Oliver holds such a special place in my heart. I am so lucky that he has ALWAYS been such a well behaved little guy. I mean he has been a kid.....but he is always kind and sweet and respectful. Oliver works so hard at school and is always trying to make someone laugh with his witty jokes at home. He is such a handsome boy and is so easy to love. I am so lucky to be his mom and our family would not be complete without him.

We celebrated Oliver, Georgi, and Isabell at Grandma Wendy's.....then we were off to Grandma Pam's to celebrate Georgi, Oliver, Wyatt, Liza, Tad, and Deborah! Such fun to get to celebrate birthdays with family!