Happy Birthdays!

Well, today is Kaitlyn's 13th birthday. I can't believe my little girl is that old. Make sure you watch your kids grow every day. Make sure you cherish those little hands and feet, those cute red mustaches they have after drinking punch, the innocent way they tell you you are fat, and all the messes they leave everywhere, because before you know it they are at eye level and you are sharing shoes. Kaitlyn has a special birthday. She shares it with her Boyd dad. This first picture here is of her first birthday with him. She was 1, he was 30, hence the black balloons. That was the only birthday she got to share with him, he was killed seven months later in a car accident, four days after Landon was born.

I feel like so many people in our lives now have no idea who he was. I feel like they probably know she had another dad, but have no idea who. Well, he was quite the dad. He loved his kids and loved spending time with them. He was a huge outdoorsman, which is why we lived in Idaho, because it's cheaper to hunt and fish there. I will tell you I probably own more guns than most women do, and I have probably tasted jerky of every wild animal that exists. He was a huge skiier in his younger days, and also played a lot of baseball. He loved to camp, fish, and was just a fun, friendly guy. He printed yearbooks for Herff Jones. He was on his way home from work after taking a few days off when we had Landon, and an inattentive driver crossed the center line and hit him head on. He also had a son when I married him, named Skyler, who my kids adore. We don't see him much anymore, he is 21 now, but they love him, and he loves them.

I think there are certain people that help you through times like this that you could never repay or forget. One was my angel mother. Whenever someone mentions the word "hero" she is always the first person I think of. She has always been the greatest example to me and if her faith has ever wavered, I have never known it. She could have been a pioneer, I know she could have. It wasn't till I became a mother myself that I could fully appreciate her raising 4 kids by herself, with very little money, and going for years without a refrigerator or dryer. At Christmas she was talking about getting rid of the old metal cooler that served as our fridge for so many years, and Mike wouldn't let her. He said it was a family heirloom!

I also believe that the only thing worse than tragedy, is never being able to recover from it. Never being able to be happy again, or laugh, or feel joy, or losing faith and giving up on life; that would be the real tragedy. But Boyd didn't die in vain. I had a lot of spiritual experiences during that time, and as imperfect of a life as I have lived, it made me a believer. The testimony I gained from it and the life lessons I learned I'm sure I couldn't have gotten any other way. I learned to truly understand and appreciate what people mean when they say "I'm grateful for my trials." Everyone has a story. Everyone has a story that is either going to make or break them. Don't let your story be in vain.

Kaitlyn & Landon probably don't remember much about the 6 1/2 years they didn't have a dad, but I do. I have been married to Jay for five years now, and he truly is the kindest person I have ever met. He has been a far better example to me than I could ever be to him. He was willing to take on the role of raising my two kids just like his own. He has no idea the gratitude I have to him for doing that. They have the privilege of having another great dad. What a blessing he has been in our lives. Jayson, Jamie, Ryan, & Julie, thank you for sharing your dad with us. We love him.

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn. You will never know how much I love you and how proud I am of the good girl that you are. I love your fighting spirit and the way you recognize that you have to work hard for what you want in life. I loved going to parent teacher conference and hearing your teacher throw around the word "amazing," which is what you are. I love the example you are to our family and the good choices you make. Heavenly Father was truly smiling down on me when he sent you to be my daughter. You continue to uplift and inspire me.