Happy Birthday Shae Marrin!

Today Shae Marrin is 18 years old. Eighteen.

I really can't believe how quickly 18 years has slipped by.

It seems like just yesterday it was just the two of us running errands and hanging out at home waiting for Dad to come home from a weekend at camp. We had 5 years, just the three of us. Five easy and FUN years.

God gave me YOU first and He spoiled me.

What an easy, sweet, obedient little girl.

You are a young woman now and just as easy, sweet and obedient. You are proof that "Obedience Brings Blessing." It is an absolute JOY to watch you grow in your faith. Your desire to do what is right is such a blessing to us, your parents. I pray that God will give you the desires of your heart as you trust Him with your life's path.

You are far away for the first time on your birthday and I am missing you extra today. Yet, you are right where God wants you, what better place could you possibly be?

Know that though you are in another state and in a different time zone, I will be thinking about you today and remembering the day my greatest wish and most desperate prayer was answered.

I became your Mom.

You have been such a great example to your sisters.

I am so proud of who you are.

I wish you the happiest of birthdays!

I Love You more than you can understand,

Mom

"But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

2 Peter 3:18

KOBE= Yum!

Over the summer, Redding really stepped up a few notches...we got a Kobe restaurant!!

We decided to give it a try after church and it did not disappoint! Scott and I had eaten there one day during the summer and it was de-lish, so we thought his parents and the girls would like it too.

Lindsay didn't really like the whole "fire shooting up in the air" thing! Our chef was so precious with Lindsay though, he gave her huge servings of everything and tried to talk to her the whole time. I LOVE that she has that effect on people. She ate every last morsel of food on her plate too. Lindsay kept saying, "Shae is missing out on this!" She was also concerned that our waitress every Sunday at "Cheesecakes Unlimited" was wondering where we were!

Anna's friend Aubrey came with us which made the afternoon really fun for Anna. The girls watched in awe as our chef cooked everyone's food to perfection.

They even ate with chopsticks. Scott and his dad are really good at eating with them but the girls used the "cheater" kind.

I highly recommend Kobe for lunch. It is very affordable and so delicious! It beat our dinner at Ben-i-hana in San Francisco for sure!

On our way out, Lindsay got a phone call from a very sweet big sister in Virginia!

It was a good Sunday!!

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Reality is Sinking in.

Anna is the nurturer in this family. Her mission in life is to make others happy. What a gift she is. She especially wants to make sure Lindsay gets to enjoy the things in life that most of us take for granted.

Over the summer, when Aunt Laurie was here, Lindsay was treated to a real manicure at the salon with Anna, cousin Hannah, Grandma and Laurie. She still talks about it! Who knew SHE would like having manicures!?

I guess Anna thinks it's important to maintain proper nail care...even for Lindsay!

And let me tell you, Lindsay wasn't complaining!

I appreciate that tender-hearted girl so much. I am so glad she had such a great time doing fun things (without Lindsay) with her visiting Texas cousins over the summer. She needs time to relax,

and play a few video games without having to "help" Lindsay!

I think the reality of Shae's absence from our home is beginning to sink in with Lindsay. The other night, I was having a hard time getting to sleep so in order to let Scott get some sleep, I decided to go get in Shae's bed.

It was 2:17am when I heard, "Whooooo is it? Who is it?!" I tried to be still and quiet hoping Lindsay would fall back to sleep. But then came the familiar shuffle of those sweet feet.

She walked right into She's room where I was and said, "I knew it!! I knew you would come back, Shae-Shae! I'm so glad you're home!"

It.was.so.sad.

Lindsay says what she misses most is having Shae come into her bed in the mornings and cuddling. She also told me that she really misses Maeghan spending the night!

I can't even imagine how confusing it really is to Lindsay's simple little mind, because my mind can hardly comprehend it either.

Hurry up, Christmas break!

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Daddy's "Binny~Boo" and Lake Shasta

On Labor Day Scott and I found ourselves home alone with Lindsay. Anna was hanging out with Chloe for the day and Shae was in VIRGINIA!

Scott mentioned going out to check on the patio boat, which lives in the marina at Shasta Lake. I was busy around the house and Lindsay was watching Dora the Explorer, so Scott went on to check on things at the lake. We were going to meet up later for dinner.

He had been gone for maybe 10 minutes when Lindsay came and said she needed to get her bathing suit on because it was time to go out to the boat.

Uh Oh.

I told her that Daddy had already left.

*tears*

bottom lip out

~crushed~

I called Scott and Lindsay tearfully told him that she wanted to go too.

"Can you come back for me, Daddy?"

He was home in just a few minutes and off the three of us went!

It was a beautiful day! The water was crystal clear.

Lindsay didn't stop talking or SMILING the entire afternoon.

Who could resist this face?

Lindsay had the chance to drive the boat since there weren't many other boats out that day. What a feeling for this girl who will never drive a car. Scott would tell her to turn left or turn right and she did great.

We had lunch and swam some more, then we took a scenic ride around the lake. Lindsay must have worn herself out because she stayed in this lounging position for most of the way back to the marina.

Ahh, the view of Mt. Shasta from the lake is indescribable. Who, but our God could create such beauty?

When we got in the car to head home I am sure Lindsay told Scott, "Thank you Daddy, that was fun" at least 200 times. Scott just replied, "you are welcome, Binny~Boo" it WAS fun."

It was a great day!

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Gingersnaps

I was looking through all the recipes that my mom has given me and I found one that sounded so good today since it is a cool, breezy and Fall-like day.

These cookies are quite possibly my new favorite cookie! They are De~lish!

Gingersnaps

2 cups flour

2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1 t ground cloves

1 1/2 t ground ginger

3/4 cup (butter flavored) shortening

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

sugar to roll dough in

Cream together the shortening and sugar, add molasses and egg, beat well. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the other mixture. Mix well.

Roll into balls and then into the sugar. Place cookies 2" apart on cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 5 minutes on the bottom rack, then rotate cookie sheet and bake 5 minutes on the top rack.

Let cookies rest for just a few seconds before taking them off the cookie sheet so they will retain their shape.

*your house will smell so yummy and Fall~ish*

Our new favorite thing...

Hearing that computer ring and having Shae's precious face show up when we answer!

Yay for Skype!!!

Sweet Reminder

I was looking through my summer pictures today to have some printed and I ran across these:

They reminded me how much fun we have with those Texas cousins when they come to visit,

and how stinkin' cute that frame makes pictures!

Why, oh why can't we all live in the same town?!

We Love You and we really miss you, Texas Cousins! {and Aunt Laurie!}

September

This is the month that my first baby will turn 18. She will be an adult. I don't know where the years have gone, or why they have passed by so quickly.

It is very weird having one of my children living on the other side of the country. She doesn't eat her meals here and I don't wash her clothes anymore. She is so happy and so not homesick, and I am thankful~ but, my heart hurts. It is a pain that comes upon me at the strangest times. According to Scott I need to "let her fly" , "let her grow up". I GET that, I really do. But I had no idea that so much of who I am IS my children. I almost feel.....lost at times.

I am trying to not miss her.

She is in good hands, and surrounded by girls I would probably hand pick for her.

She is making good choices.

Scott says that we have "done our job and now it is her time to live what we have taught her".

{but in MY defense, she DID skip 8th grade, so I was robbed of one year of her still being home!}

I am thankful that I still have two girls at home. Maybe now I understand why God allowed Lindsay to be the way she is~so she will always need me. {I think}

I am not the first and certainly won't be the last Mama that has had to send her little birdie out of the nest to try and fly alone. But I wasn't prepared for how it would feel. In my head I know that she is right where she is supposed to be, my heart will eventually "get it" too. I know I will make it through this...but, seriously, If ONE MORE PERSON tells me that since she went to school in Virginia, she will never live in my home again, I might have to punch them!

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