HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Traci and Emily...

....yep, two darling girls in our family share this birthday and I love them both....but today's blog is going out to Traci, my baby girl.....daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend extraordinaire. After four boys, I was thrilled to no end to get a girl....but 19 months later, another girl!!!! I always figure I must have done something right. I was thrilled for me but ecstatic for Lauri...she got to have a sister and it warms my heart that these two girls are such sista friends. Traci grew up in a family that knew that if she was happy, we were all happy and it was well worth the effort to see that she was happy.....when she was little she was either really happy or really sad and as an adult, I've admired how well she knows herself and she knows what she has to do to be happy and she chooses it. I've learned so much from her through the years. She's a born leader, caring daughter, fun friend and I think Lauri would agree, an awesome sister. I've run out of adjectives to describe her but on this her birthday, she would rather be in Disneyland, of course, but she is where she needs to be, at home with her husband and sons and she knows Disneyland will still be there when it's her turn. No wonder that the happiest little girl in the world loves the happiest place on earth. Happy Birthday, Traci. You make me proud. One of my greatest joys in life was watching you dance....but now I love watching you be a mom (and I'm glad you can do both). Speaking of dancing, Emily loves it and I often catch her doing her ballet moves while looking in the mirror. She's a happy soul and makes everyone around her smile. Have a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY, today Emily and keep smiling. You are a cutie.