MY BABY IS 39.....WOW...FEELING OLD! (AND REALIZING I HAVE NO PICTURES OF HER)

I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT BUT SHE HAS TWICE AS MANY KID'S AS ME AND SHE STILL SEEMS TO FIT IN SO MANY EXTRAS THAT I DIDN'T DO.  HERE SHE IS TAKING HER GIRLS TO A CONCERT.  THEY HAD A BLAST.

HERE SHE IS WITH T AND HER BESTIE (OUTSIDE OF THE FAMILY) JILL.  I AM SO THANKFUL FOR JILL.  NATE ISN'T HOME MUCH BETWEEN WORK, BISHOP, AND SOCCER COACH.  GIRLS NEED TO TALK MORE THAN GUYS AND I AM THANKFUL SHE HAS SOMEONE RIGHT THERE......AND SOMEONE TO RAISE HER KIDS WITH THE WAY PAULA AND I DID!

SHE HAS ADMITTED IT TO ME THAT SHE IS MORE LIKE SHAD THAN ME.....THEREFORE THEY SEEM TO BE IN THIS SITUATION A LOT.  I'M SURE SHE IS GIVING HIM MONEY FOR SOMETHING.....HEAVEN FORBID THAT WE HELP HER OUT WITH MONEY!!!

SHANNON LOOKS TIRED AND NATE HAS HIS GANGSTA FACE ON.......FUN TIMES WITH THE KIDDOS AT THE 23RD OF JULY PLAY! THIS PICTURE REALLY MAKES ME SMILE.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO FOR PICTURES ON NATE'S BIRTHDAY.  I HAVE USED ALL THE ONES I FOUND HERE....AND I DON'T HAVE MANY OF SHANNON!

THIS IS A PICTURE OF HER AND HER SIDEKICK AT THE FAMILY REUNION.  IT MAKES ME HAPPY ALL OVER.  SHE REALLY IS SUCH A GOOD MOM.

AND HERE SHE IS WITH HIM AGAIN....COACHING HIS FIRST SOCCER GAME....WHERE HE GOT THE FIRST GOAL OF THE GAME.  I THINK SHE RAN UP AND DOWN THE FIELD MORE THAN ANYONE AND SHE'S IN SHAPE TO DO IT!  IT'S BECAUSE SHE NEVER STOPS AT HOME EITHER.

LOOKING LIKE ONE OF THE GIRLS AT THE 24TH OF JULY PARADE.

THIS WAS TAKEN AT A FAMILY DAY THEY SPENT AT PALISADE....NOT FAR FROM HOME.  NATE HAS HARDLY ANYTIME OFF BUT THEY MAKE GOOD USE OF ANY TIME THEY HAVE!

JUST HANGIN OUT WITH SHADRACH AT THE REUNION....FUN TIMES FOR SURE.

THIS PICTURE IS SUCH AN EXAMPLE OF SHANNON'S LIFE.  SHE IS AT THE SUMMER GAMES FOR TOMMY'S BASKETBALL TEAM.  SHE IS ALSO IN CHARGE OF TRACE JUSTINSEN....AND GETTING HIM BACK TO EPHRAIM.  THE KOOL-AIDE MOM!!!

THIS WAS A SPECIAL NIGHT FOR SHANNON, NATE, JANESSA, AND ALL OF US.  SHE IS PRESENT IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID TO DESERVE HER BUT I SURE DO LOVE HER!

SHANNON WITH SOME OF HER CLASSMATES AND BESTIES AT BRO. T'S FUNERAL.  THIS WAS A HARD TIME FOR ALL OF US.

I RAN ONTO THIS PICTURE IN MY SEARCH AND I LAUGHED OUT LOUD.  SHE HAS PERSONALITY COMING OUT OF HER EARS!

IN ROCHESTER FOR WILL'S BABY BLESSING.  BEFORE HER KID'S WERE SO INVOLVED....SHE REALLY TRIED TO GET TO EVERYTHING IN HER SIBLINGS FAMILIES.  IT WASN'T EASY WITH TWO LITTLES AND NATE WORKING AND IN SCHOOL...BUT SHE DID IT!

ONLY FOUR KIDDOS HERE AND STILL ON A RUN!!!

TRYING TO KEEP THE GIRLS WARM AT THEIR SOCCER GAME.  THEY ARE SURELY ALL MAMA'S KIDDOS.

...............AND I HAD TO THROW THIS PICTURE IN BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME OF THE GREAT MEMORIES WE HAVE TOGETHER AND HOW MUCH FUN I HAD WITH HER DURING HER TEEN AGE YEARS.  SHE WAS A JOY TO RAISE.  I DIDN'T EVEN FEEL LIKE I HAD TO PARENT HER.  SHE WAS SMART, FUNNY, ATHLETIC, BUT MOST OF ALL SHE HAD INTEGRITY THAT I SEE APPEARING IN MY GRANDCHILDREN.  I DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL HER BECAUSE.....SHE KNEW...AND SHE HELD HERSELF ACCOUNTABLE.

SHE HAS HELD A LOT OF LEADERSHIP CALLINGS AND SUPPORTED NATE IN HIS. HE TALKED ABOUT HER IN ONE OF HER TALKS AND I WISH I COULD REMEMBER THE QUOTE......I JUST CALLED HIM....HIS REPLY WAS, "AS TRUE AS STEEL, AS CONSTANT AS THE POLE STAR,AS FAITHFUL AS TIME AND BETTER THAN GOLD."  THEN HE ADDED, "AND SHE IS.  THE GREATEST PERSON I HAVE EVER KNOWN."  WELL NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM SITTING HERE CRYING  BECAUSE HOW DID WE GET SO BLESSED FOR HER TO MARRY SOMEONE WHO RECOGNIZES THAT AND APPRECIATES IT.  I KNOW SHE WON'T MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT HER BIRTHDAY.....SHE NEVER DOES, BUT I HOPE SHE KNOWS THAT SHE IS A BIG DEAL IN ALL OF OUR LIVES AND WE LOVE HER SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY GIRL!!!!SHE COULDN'T BE LOVED MORE!!!