CELEBRATE AMANDA!

Sweet Amanda is having a birthday. It's been such a joy watching her grow over the years. I remember when we found out her mother was expecting. We hadn't had babies in the family for about 10 years. Then Alice was pregnant with C.J. -- her first baby. Before he was born, I found out I was pregnant with Andy -- my first baby. After CJ was born, but while Andy was still in "the oven" we found out Bille was expecting -- her third baby! Suddenly we had 3 babies within 1 year! Such a wealth of new life. Love that new life stuff! Babies are great.

Then Alice and I each had one more boy, so we had a total of 5 little ones with Amanda being the only girl in the crowd.

I always loved this picture of THE COUSINS. In some ways, she still looks like that -- with that sweet smile on her face!

I wish I could show you some of the New York pictures (they're among the pictures which haven't been scanned yet) She flew to visit us in New York and I think it was her first real "grown up" thing to do -- flying all the way to New York by herself when she was still just a teenager. Gosh we enjoyed having her. She was a real joy to have around - and like a breath of Texas air to me.

When she was in high school, I think she dreamed of being a dancer, but life has a way of taking us in other directions.

And now she's a beautiful (and very busy) Mom of three boys.

Happy birthday, sweet Amanda. We LUV you!