Who knew the tears would come so quickly...

       I've always been protective of children. Especially since my parents added Daniel and Matthew to our family. They taught me what it meant to be an older sister, and what it meant to have someone younger then to care for. They are the ones that taught me how precious life really is. Matt is the one that made me want to adopt a child, and provide a better home and stable environment to grow in.

       Then Eric came into my life, and I learned about a new kind of love. The love a mother has for her children. I knew that loving a my own children would be different then how I feel about my nieces and nephews. But I didn't realize that having a child of my own would affect every other part of my life. I didn't know that once I had a child that I would grow to be more protective of children. I didn't even know that I could be more protective of children then I already was!! Then books that my dad used to read through his tears to me as a child made me start crying as I read them to Eric. Songs on the radio about children started touching me in different ways. Stories on the news about children being abused made me angrier and want to save the children from their abusers. Posts on blogs about children with incurable diseases brought me to tears, just from the pictures, and crying uncontrollably from their stories.

       I used to think that crying over anything was a sign of weakness. But now I know that crying for the right reasons is not weakness. If anything it's a sign of a loving heart. I hope that is something that I can teach my children as they grow. I'm sure when they are young they will be as baffled as I was when my dad cried reading us stories at night. I hope to teach them to embrace the caring natures they are born with, and use it to better the world around them in anyway they can.

Just cause I can't help but take pictures :)

Sleeping with Ayden and Cambree

With Skyler and Ayden

This is my "grumpy gills" face, depending on the cry it either means feed me/hold me/get that camera out of my face ;)

Loving life with Matt

Sleepy face

Sleeping with Daddy after a hard night in the hospital

Sleeping with Grandma Hennen

Sleeping with Grandpa Hennen

First nap at home in his crib :)

Sleeping on Mommy

Enough with the pictures already!!

Hide-a-baby sleeping with Daddy

Meditating on Mommy's lap

"Hi Dad"

"I don't want to hear it"

Now I just need to remember to bring my camera and get some more pictures with the Long side!! :)

Daddy :)

       This is my wonderful Dad. Growing up Dad and I did a lot together. We'd fix cars together, fix plumbing problems, build furniture and do repairs around the house. While we'd be fixing things together Dad would always ask about my day and how things were going. He'd give me tips on life and how to be a better daughter and future wife. He'd always say, no matter what you think is wrong with your marriage, it's nothing compared to everything good in your marriage. Granted, he'd say it in different words and in his actions, but that's the jist of it. My dad was always someone I could go talk to when I was having a hard time or just needed someone to listen to me vent about a problem I was having with my siblings. His response was always the same (said about 1,000 different ways), "so what's the problem? And you really think it's worth the fight? I know how much you love your sibling, go apologize for what you did and try to patch things up." He was always right. Growing up I was always close to my siblings, and very protective of them all. Yes it may be weird that the youngest girl is protective of her older siblings, but it's something that I picked up from my dad.

       I've always looked up to my dad for being such a hard worker, and always willing to serve anyone in need. Even if it was just taking me out with him to work on the car so that I could tell him what was bothering me, or teaching me how to repair all the holes in the walls so I wouldn't have to hire someone to come fix things in my house. He was, and is, always there for me and I love him so much.

       Thanks for being amazing Dad!!!!!