Colett and Wayne




Mini moulten chocolate cake

Amy's new vase

Amy opens her gifts








My bounty

Wheat grass and begonia planter

32 years ago, I had my baby Amy on Mother's Day. Every year it was a little hard for her because her birthday was so close to Mother's Day. For me it was great, because she was such a gift but we always tried to keep the celebrations separate. This year, however, we celebrated together again. Wayne made chicken cordon bleu and mashed potatoes and we made homemade ice cream and mini moulten chocolate cakes. Can you say gastronomic disaster? I didn't even figure up the calories, but let's just say thank goodness it only happens once a year. My daughters and husband spoiled me. I got a new memory card from Amy for my camera, a necklace, Pj's, plant and a new mouse pad from Colett, and electric handheld sheers for my gardening from Wayne.

I have a wonderful mother. When I grow up I want to be just like her. She is the woman who bakes all day and then takes the goodies to her neighbors. My Dad has said that he sometimes wishes he was their neighbor. She has a voice of a bird, is very artistic and fun and giggles at the Sunday funny papers (I don't know anyone else that does that). She has raised 6 kids, a menagerie of cats and dogs, and many gardens of vegetables and flowers. She has learned to deal with health problems, has an eternal perspective on just about everything, and still believes her children can become great individuals in spite of themselves. Her husband is her best friend and she often reads his mind....that's a little scary. She knows that she is a daughter of God and acts accordingly. Mom I love you.

Happy Mother's Day!!

This is Amy at age 11 and then at graduation and then as her beautiful self today.

Love the dimples!!

On May 9th, 1976 Wayne and I welcomed our beautiful new daughter into the world. I was stunned because for some reason I was 100% sure this baby would be a boy. I hadn't picked out a serious baby girl name. We said all along that if it happened to be a girl we would name her Heather. I was in Wyoming staying at my parents house to have her because my doctor lived there and I didn't want anyone else to deliver her. Besides, it was MUCH cheaper than having her in Boise, Idaho where we lived. We did not have insurance at the time and if anything went wrong, I wanted to be near my parents. I went into labor in the middle of the night (of course) and Mom took me to the hospital. I had a cervical block....I don't think they do that anymore.... and fell asleep on the delivery table. Mom couldn't believe it because she was so nervous. After about 4 hours I had my new baby girl. A GIRL?????? They wanted me to fill out the papers and put her the name on the birth certificate. I couldn't name her Heather. She didn't look anything like a Heather. Wayne had called eveyone and told them we had a new baby Heather, but before I left the hospital I put the name Amy Lee on the certificate. Yes, she was an Amy, not a Heather. Wayne had to call everyone and tell them the new name. She was a tiny 6 lb. 13 oz. baby with a little mowhawk. She had problems breathing and they released us to go to Billings to have her checked out by a pediatrition who ran a tube down her nose and throat much to my horror. She was ultimately OK but we had some rough months with her. I didn't think I'd ever get to sleep again. She was allergic to milk, had projectile vomiting, never napped and wouldn't cuddle. I thought at the time that Heavenly Father had "done me wrong" but boy was I wrong. She turned out to be the most lovable, fun child ever and such a gift to us. She is now a new mother herself, one of my dearest friends and we love her so much. Our song for her was:

We love you Amy, oh yes we do, we don't love anyone as much as you, when you're not near us, we're blue, oh Amy we love you. As with the others we still sing her song to her too. Happy Birthday Amy Lee you are a beautiful, talented woman and such a dear daughter to us. What would I ever have done without my little buddy to tag along when the others were at school?

We celebrated Colett's birthday at our home on Sunday. Wayne made her favorite meal...Chicken Parmesan, broccoli rotini, and lemon/grape punch and Amy made her a darling chocolate cake decorated with a tree and birds. For her gift, we gave her a leaf blower/vacuum. It's not the usual birthday gift, but Colett is the one who does the yard work and she has seen the fun and easy clean up that I have with mine and now she can have fun at her house too. Yes, I asked for mine a few years ago for Mother's Day. I especially love the vacuum aspect of it. I suck up all the leaves out of the rock beds and around the tree bases.