June girls

As a girl, I longed for a summer birthday. Pool parties, backyard picnics, and never being in school on my birthday seemed heavenly! As it was, my birthday fell as a postscript to the Christmas and new year holidays on January 3. By then, my family was celebrated out. Boo hoo.

Neither my husband nor any of our children were born in summer, but NOW! We have Mark's wife, Jill, born June 23, and granddaughter Ashlyn born June 24. Though I'm not with either of them this year, it's fun to help them celebrate from a distance, skype and send gifts.

When I think of Jill, I smile because she exudes joy. Her laugh is natural and contagious. Jill loves my son fiercely, but she also loves all of us simply by her selflessness, thoughtfulness and pure joy in getting to know others.

As I watch Jill mother, it's obvious that she takes her job seriously. She is calm, loving yet firm, and seems to have the sense a mother needs that children grow quickly ... Jill embraces her time with Lily, and is preparing for the new challenge of mothering two!

Happy birthday, Jill (a date late)! I'm glad you enjoyed your special day. I love you!




I don't have many photos of just Jill, but love this one of
her bathing Lily last summer at our cabin.


How thankful I am to have not only one, but two daughters-in-love who love my sons and grandchildren so wonderfully. I'm tremendously blessed!

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How I enjoyed Ashlyn when I visited earlier this month. She's a sweet bundle of two-ness who can now respond to reasoning, yet also lapses into moments of frustrated screams. Her vocabulary has exploded; this visit I could understand almost everything she said. Ash is so very loving and tender, especially with her baby brother Noah. She's a cuddler who loves books and settles down nicely for her afternoon nap.

She and I had a grand time picking peas and beans in the garden!

Ash has opinions on things. She had the final say in a shoe department while I was there and wanted to buy her a pair of "sensible" tennis shoes. We left the store with two pairs of the most anti-Baba shoes imaginable: pink sparkles! One pair each for Ash and big sister Ari. How funny.

Happy 2nd birthday, sweet Ashlyn. You've claimed a special spot in Baba's heart.