Happy Birthday Bruce!

It was a great day when Bruce joined our family - he set the gold standard for sons-in-law - and we can't imagine the family without him.

 

Happy Birthday Bruce - we love you!!

Happy Birthday Eliza!

Eliza was 13 days late! The others had all been 11 days late, so I didn't get upset until day 12!

 

Dad had wanted to name her Anna Magdalena - but I prevailed - I thought she looked like an Eliza - and I still do!!

 

It was great to have a baby in the house again! 

 

Although Phoebe was fond of saying, "I was an only child til Eliza came!" But she loved having a baby sister too!

 

 We did have foster child, Bernie, for a year. So the family of 4 kids had 5 kids for a bit.

And now Eliza is a mom of 4! It is like one big circle!

Eliza is a blessing in our lives - we have felt that from the beginning!!  Have a great day - and a wonderful year!

Happy Birthday Pop!

Today is Grandpa Terrill's 102nd birthday - and I recall a birthday celebration for him almost 40 years ago, right after we moved her from Utah.

 

I made him a wool shirt - just like the shirt I'd made for Dad a few years earlier.

 

Harry insisted that I needed to make it large - but it was too large.  It was going to be quite a job to take it in.  I think we ended up giving it to Ernie, because it fit Ernie.

But Grandpa was very gracious - I know he appreciated the thought and the effort.

Always a gentleman!!

Oh my, 21 years old - I remember when I turned 21!!

Happy day to the lovely Miss Ara - first grandchild par excellence!!

 

I remember Dad coming to Wildrose to tell me - I can still feel the giddy excitement that reigned.

 

I remember driving to Ojai to see her - I think everyone went along - at least Eliza, Hannah, and Noah.

Such lovely memories of one of the loveliest young women I know.

I've said it before and I will say it again.  Ara set the Gold Standard for Grandkids - and has done a superb job of maintaining it!!

Happy day to you!!

Happy Birthday Bonny!!

You love all of your children - and there is not accurate to measure love and say, "I love this child more" because you don't - you love them all differently.  But the child that makes you a mother just holds a special place - and there's no changing that!

 

Bonny was a wonderful baby - even with the colic, we loved her immensely - and still do. Fortunately there is no colic anymore!!

 

And there is also something about the husband your firstborn chooses - if you are very lucky, they will be like Bonny and choose Bruce.

Love Bonny and Bruce and their wonderful daughters.

And love that Bonny has always been a wonderful daughter herself.

Happy day you Bonny Brae!

Happy Belated Greetings to Lars!

It's been a busy few months.  And I am going to VA next week to spend a few days with these cute kiddos, but somehow I neglected to post for Lars' birthday on Monday.  Not that anyone noticed - not sure anyone reads this blog!!

 

Lars is sunshine personified - and a great little pal - I am looking forward to my visit.

And in the meantime, wishing him a wonderful year ahead!!

Happy 2nd to Frankie!

Frankie and Keesa are a happy addition to our family.

 

  

Noah is a great dad - and Frankie is a great little kid!

He and Grandpa are pretty good buddies too.

Happy 2nd Birthday Frank!!

We love you!

Happy 16th to You!!

How can this boy be 16?

 

Our first grandson - and he's set a gold standard for the other grandsons to follow!!

Love you Henry - have a great day - looking forward to seeing you!

Happy Birthday Dawn!!

The best thing that ever happened to Harry was finding Dawn!!

We love her - and the wonderful wife and mother that she is - can't even imagine our family without her!!

Happy day to you - and may the year ahead be all you want it to be!

Happy 30th to Noah!

So, how can my "baby" be 30?  

I guess that happens with the passage of time - if I'm going to be 72, then Noah must be 30!!

Love this boy - and wish him a wonderful 30th year!

Happy Two-ness to Polly!!

Polly came on her due date, on Mother's Day, and what a sweetheart she is!!

She has cornered the market on cuteness - and I can't wait to see what the years ahead will bring!!

Happy day to the sweetest little two-year old I know!!

Happy Birthday Bruce!

When Bonny married Bruce, our family gained a new son - and it has just gotten better over the years!

 

Bruce is wise beyond his years sometimes - and that is a real plus for a family of such great age disparities.

 

He's a wonderful dad to his 4 lovely daughters - and he's a great missionary dad too!

 

Happy day to you Bruce - may the year ahead be everything you want and more - we love you!!

Happy Birthday Eliza!

We had just about given up on having any more kids - and then Eliza came into our lives - and we were overjoyed!!

 

She was a good baby, a temperamental toddler, a basically sweet little girl, a fun but sometimes challenging teenager, and is now a delightful adult! Pretty much a normal family member around here!

 

Hannah came along just 28 months later, so I had a pair of little girls - and it was really pretty nice.

 

I see some Ida here - in fact, I see a lot of Eliza in her children.  

 

Noah finished out the family - and the three of them were usually referred to as "the little kids!"

Those years flew by - and sometimes I wish there was a video I could play to recapture the moments. Instead I go visit them and they come visit here - and we create some new moments.

Have a wonderful 34th year Eliza Marie aka Eliza Roxy!!

Happy 15th birthday to Esme!!

These girls are just growing up before our very eyes!! I know that's normal, but the years are flying by - and I feel like I didn't enjoy them enough!!

 

Esme is a special girl with a special place in our hearts - looking forward to my Grandma's Birthday Weekend with her - the older they get, the harder it is to schedule.  She and I have had some fun ones indeed - Esme is very creative - and fun to hang out with.

Have a great day - and wonderful year ahead - and next year at this time you will be driving!!

Happy Birthday David!

So glad Phoebe found David!!  We love him - and the wonderful man, son, husband, and father he is!!

Have a great day and a wonderful year ahead!!

Happy 7th to the lovely Miss Isla!!

What is it about olives and kids?  Miss Isla obviously has the Terrill love of olives!!

 

Lots going on in Miss Isla's early years - as an almost two year old, baby Jonah came into her life.  She didn't understand what was going on - but she was a trooper and let others care for her and entertain her.

And now she does understand about Jonah - and loves him and wants to be with him in eternity.

Had another lovely Grandma's Birthday Weekend with Isla - she didn't want a manicure, said, "Oh we have lots of those bottles of polish at our house."  Wanted to play Slap Jack almost exclusively - and usually won!  Was fun to shop with - knew just what she wanted.  And chose to have lunch at Target - a hot dog and a blue Icee!

Have a great year ahead - heading for the big 8!!

Happy day to Harry W

Harry W was born while Harry and Dawn were remodeling and lived at our house.  It was fun to have a new baby in the house - especially one I didn't have to get up with at night!!

 

Like the Harrys before him, he has a big personality - and we love him!!

Have a great day  - and a wonderful year ahead!!

Happy Birthday Rhoda!

Today is the Lovely Miss Rhoda's 3rd birthday!!  I truly wish I could be with her - tried to figure out a way I could, but just couldn't come up with it.  So I will have to be content with celebrating from afar - although happily it's not too far, so a visit should happen in the not-so-distant-future!

 

I was so happy that I was able to be with her and her mom and dad right after she was born!  What a great time we all had! She and I had some "midnight hours" together - and I treasure the memory!  It was good to know I could still "stay up with a newborn!"

 

Rhoda and her mom are lots of fun - Rhoda is really the spitting image of her dad, but she truly reminds me of her mom in many ways - good ways!!

Looking forward to the year ahead Rhoda Primrose - hope you are too!

Happy Day to the lovely Miss Ida Rachel!

Ida is one fun little girl.  She loves to read, she writes great stories, she is a great conversationalist, she loves to learn to play new games, she a loving, kind, thoughtful young lady!!

 

I am excited to be able to go see her soon for her baptism!  A visit with her - and her family - is a real treat.

Happy day to you sweet Ida Rachel!!

Birthday Buddies!!

Happy day to Phoebe - whose names means "light" and who has always brought joy and light into our lives!! She continues to bless all of our lives - and is indeed the blessing we sought as we fasted and prayed for her to come to our home!!

 

And Porter - how can he be 12? And all that means!!  We love this boy - and love being able to watch him grow and progress!

Happy day to both of you!!