At 4:08 am

on November 2, 1977, I entered this world.I was the fourth child- soon to be middle child of eight. I had an older sister and two older brothers and my mother made the notation in my baby album that she was overjoyed to finally have another girl after those crazy boys. Can you blame her, you know I was a delight and PERFECTLY behaved baby!!!
How smokin is my mother in this photo? I mean really, what a dashing couple those two make, not to mention the children they produce- darling- if I can be biased!!!! :)

As would be, I grew and blossomed over the years, nurtured in a loving home full of craziness and joy.

Here I am at age 4- the same age that my Eva is very soon to be. Happy as could be without a care in the world.
This is Kindergarten (Olivia's age)- the beginning of years and years of perms given at the start of each school year. I became instant friends with a girl named Amy Jorgensen and freighted over my first ever test- writing the alphabet perfectly with NO erasers- the horror!
Ahh, 2nd grade (Abby's age)- Mrs. Olsen was my teacher, I adored her. One of her ears was double pierced and I thought it was SO cool! Later that year I broke my front tooth while playing blinds man bluff with my brothers- and can you even believe my mother sent me to school with a butterfly clip poking off the top of my head? But I do wish I still had that sweet argyle sweater.
6th grade- I thought I was so mature as I turned 12, shaved my legs, started wearing makeup and strutted around in my first pair of nylons and real heals! I had the world in my hand and nobody could stop me!
After much growing, maturing and finding my path in life. After many great friendships formed, love had and love lost, I reach my senior year, 18. It will forever feel like it was yesterday. I can smell the smells, stand in the landscapes, taste the foods, hear the sounds of the time ringing in my ears- this was a fun year in my life and it is permanently etched on the walls of my memory.

(Never mind my lazy eye in this shot!)

Now I KNEW that I understood life and all that it could throw at me! I graduated, packed my bags and moved myself up to Logan, Utah to attend Utah State University and study to become a Dental Hygienist- I learned ever so much more about myself and what I truly wanted out of life.

It is hard to believe all that has taken place over the last 33 years- some memories are good, some are sad, some I would like to forget and some make life worth living. I have a blessed life- so much to make me happy, feel loved and I want to create the same experiences for my own children. My birthday wish for this year is to have my 33rd year be filled with more of the happy things and to look back at 33 and say "Now THAT was a great year!"