Happy Birthday, Gigi!

At the end of May, we celebrated my Mom's birthday! We love "Gigi" more than we could ever express. She is one of the most positive people there is (that's what my Dad said about her at church when he recognized her for her birthday!), and when I think of growing up, the biggest thing that comes to my mind is that my mom was always singing. When my mom was growing up, my uncle (her brother) would call her "The Jukebox" because she had a song for everything - ha!

Mom exposed me to every musical I love, she wrote notes on my lunch napkin every single day until I graduated high school, she prayed with me every night before bed (the one thing I miss the most now that I'm married), she stayed home to raise all four of us, she's incredibly gifted at teaching children (at school and in Sunday School), and she was the one that led me to the Lord. For that alone, I am eternally grateful. Everything else (and more) that I listed above just makes me EXTRA grateful. :)

Now that my mom is "Gigi" to Evy Kate, it's been so fun! I get to relive my childhood again, because my mom will do things with Evy that she did with us when we were little. I am so, so thankful to have my mom give me advice and counsel when I need it. I think she and my dad were the masters at "common sense" parenting. They didn't over-analyze, over-research, or over-philosophise. They really just sought the Lord, trusted each other, adapted what worked or what didn't from their parents, and loved us a ton. In a nutshell, I think that's pretty much the best parenting strategy there is. Evy ADORES her Gigi (just like her Mia too), and Kurt and I are so blessed to see that.

I don't take for granted that my parents live close by and that my mom is so present in the day-to-day (my dad is too, but Gigi is able to swing by the house during the work week more!). Actually today I was thinking about when Evy was a newborn. We were living in Jackson with no family around and Kurt had a HORRIBLE work schedule. I would absolutely live for when my mom would come and spend time with me and help with Evy. I look back so fondly on those days because along with having my new, precious baby, I got really good quality time with my mom. I would just cry and cry when she would leave. So now having her close by is truly something I still marvel at and thank the Lord for.

Our family was so happy to celebrate my mom and let her know how loved she is! Evy was right in the middle of the festivities, of course!



If you're a girl and you're in our family, you get Disney Princess balloons for your birthday. It's an unwritten rule.




Gigi and her biggest fan!




In our family we make homemade cards for birthdays. My brother got extra points because he used color on his. He usually just uses pencil.




LOVING the party!




Evy with her "Pinka."




For some reason, my favorite pictures of my family are when we're doing birthday cake.




WE LOVE YOU, MOM/GIGI!