About 2 weeks ago a young man that attends the Sunday School class Sean and I teach gave his farewell talk in church before his departure for his LDS mission. About 30 seconds into his talk I started to cry. Now, I don't really know this boy as we have only been Sunday school for a few weeks, and while the opening statements of his talk were good my weeping was related to something else. I was crying for his mom. Since I've graduated high school I've always associated missionaries as my peers, they have always been up until this point in my life fairly close to me in age. That Sunday with this particular young man, I didn't see one of my peers, I saw a boy (yes, I am getting old), I saw someone who was leaving his family for the first time, I saw someone's baby (p.s his mom looked so proud.) The days leading up to my little lady's birthday have been quite like this one, random tears, thoughtful conversation with my husband about her future, pangs of anxiety one minute because my baby is no longer a baby, and yet an overwhelming feeling of joy that she is growing so beautifully. To my future mommies out there, everyone will tell you it goes by so fast, they are right. Being a mother has changed me in so many different ways. I'm not one of those people that think being a wife and mother is the only thing women were put here to do, but hands down, being a mother has been the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. I have had a number of joyous occasions in my life, my daughter has brought me the most pure form of joy I have ever experienced. I can't imagine my life without her. Because I knew that having her turn one was going to be hard on me, I made a rather ambitious goal to take pictures of her everyday throughout Okinawa the week leading up to her birthday. I only made it out on the island 2 days, but I managed to get some favorites of my "baby" before she became a toddler. I can't believe she is a toddler now. Ely walking and saying "da" for yeah is one of my most favorite milestones of hers ever. She loves the kitty and her doggie, and is obsessed with purses and baby dollies. I love her so much and everyday I thank my Heavenly Father that he trusted me enough to give me this awesome little spirit to watch over. Happy birthday little girl, you are so loved!
We took several pictures, it was a big week.
The American Village in Okinawa, Japan
Cape Zanpa
Ely & her friend Mr. S
Birthday Morning with Balloons
For Lunch we went to the sea wall
A kitty cat cake for the girl that loves kitties
We tried really hard to make sure her first cake was her first sweet..... the result was she didn't really know what to do with it, she only took a few bites.
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