Today is a special day for my last baby. Sweet Grace turns two today. I am completely enamoured with her developing personality right now. Although I’m tired at the end of each day with a toddler in the household, I cannot tell you the number of smiles and laughs she gives me. We are headed to the Georgia Aquarium to celebrate with a family outing.

Yesterday I was out pruning some dead blooms off our yard flowers. Jordan and William had long deserted me for the air conditioning, but Grace was still there asking to help. I would hand her each discarded piece and she would then carry them to the yard bag — with two purses, a hairbow, and MY dress sandals on her feet pushing a play mower. She was absolutely determined to be there as my shadow and I couldn’t help but think what a memory that was to behold.


Here she is modeling a new hairstyle.


And when she got bored during timeout she decided to stand on her head in the playpen. It’s hard not to laugh at a sight like this. Notice that her arm is actually out of the armhole meaning that she began to attempt the “lets get naked and shock Mom” routine, but then abandoned that for a more exciting show.


At Hilton Head on the beach playground.

So, Happy Birthday to my girlie who has learned all the tricks from her siblings, takes big girl showers without fear, loves to wear purses and jewelry, and has a passion for ice cream. Thank you ALL for the part you played in her life. I could have never made it through the past two years without your prayers and encouragement.

I still get emotional when I think about how close we came to the edge of death. Emotional in a good way. I know that this little spunky girl is meant to do big things in her life. I know that we are blessed to have her in our family. People go years searching for the meaning of life. I had my third child and discovered that my life already had meaning. Grace came to this world with meaning. What more of a blessing can you ask for than that?