God bless Our New 15 Year Old

We have another driver in the house!!  Well, a driver-in-training, I mean... 

++St. Christopher, pray for us!!++

Mario turned 15 last month.  (He's the second of our February birthdays)  

As our kids get older, the celebrations become more simple.  Still a great reason to celebrate, but not the fanfare of big themed birthday parties.  They are growing up and it's just not the teenage-in-style thing to do.  So Neil took Mario out with some cousins and friends to go see one of the new Marvel movies and out to eat to celebrate, along with our own celebrations here at home and making the day all about him.  

++Thank you, Lord, for Mario!!  Please help him feel your love and presence all throughout the next year!!++

12 Tonight - 13 Tomorrow

Going to bed 12.
Goodbye childhood years.

Tomorrow we will welcome teenage girlhood into our home.

I look at this beautiful girl and am in awe of her joy, her attitude, her brains, her beauty, her maturity, her faith, her love and just wonder what God has planned for her. I know one thing for sure - she's going to be one amazing mom! Being the oldest girl in a large family is excellent training for future motherhood, by the way!

I hope and pray she can surpass all of my own goals and successes in life and also learn from my mistakes and failings and rise above them to shine to be a beautiful daughter of Christ!

I hope and pray that we can be the closest of friends as well, because we all know the bond between a mother and a daughter is so special.

Happy birthday, dear!  
I love you SO much and am so proud of you!!!!!!

++May God love you and bless you always!!++