Happy Birthday, Gabrielle Alexandra!

Sometimes when you're different you just need a different song

Listen to the swaying grass And listen to the trees

To me the sweetest music is those branches in the breeze!

So imagine that the lovely moon is playing just for you

Everything makes music if you really want it to.

Giles Andreae "Giraffes Don't Dance"

On November 27th, 1994 Gabrielle decided to make her appearance in this world and believe me when I say, I believe she made the decision.  She was beautiful... blond hair and blue eyes and the deepest dimple in her chin.  She began her stay in this world by letting everybody know that she was the boss!  After a short stay in the nursery at the hospital, the nurses brought her to me, saying that she was too loud and they couldn't get her to stop crying (she was just singing her song if you ask me).  From then on, we knew that Gabby was the nickname that would fit her perfectly. 

My beautiful, free spirited, independent, daredevil of a child; she was strong minded, strong willed, and sure footed.  Her inner song was always audible even to those who didn't try to hear. When Gabby set her mind to something, nothing stopped her.  She managed to learn to climb out of the playpen at just over a year old and then there was no caging her.  From then on, if she wanted to be somewhere she was.  She climbed the highest counter, scaled the biggest doorframe, and jumped the tallest gate (and that was all before lunch), but I could see something so much deeper in my child, she was passionate.   

Gabby cares very deeply for people; she will be a friend for life.  She brings happiness to all those around her by sharing her song.  Her smile brightens even the darkest of cloudy days and makes my heart share in her song.  When she is sad it breaks my heart and the heart of anyone who knows her.

We always said that Gabby marches to the beat of a different drummer, but she doesn't care what other people think; she will share her song with you and not be bothered what you think about it.  She is independent and free and extremely intelligent.  Given the means she will teach herself anything that she wants to know.  She knows no boundaries when it comes to what she wants to do or know.  Her spirit is beautiful and free.

To Gabrielle on your 13th birthday...

You are beautiful!

Your laughter puts a song in my heart, your music makes me dance

Your free spirit makes my heart soar, your heart makes me fly

Your passion for life is inspiring

You are beautiful and I love you!

Reposted from a few years ago.

Wisdom from Danijela's mind

IT'S ALIVE

Dani: Mommy, my toy iguana can't be a toy, it is alive!

Me: Oh really?

Dani: I put it on my belly when I went to sleep last night and I didn't even roll over on it or anything and when I got up this morning it was under me, it must have digged under me.

NO CARS?????

Dani: (playing with my Nativity Set) They didn't have cars when Jesus was alive right?

Brittany: No

Dani: That's okay they can all ride my iguana. 

(All the members of my Nativity set are now on the back of her stuffed iguana)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

Every day God reminds me of the wonderful blessings he has given me.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  Wednesday night we went to the Community Thanksgiving service and it was so lovely.  The kids put on a little show with white gloves, blue lights and sign language singing "Your Name" (the lyrics are on the link).  It was a beautiful service. 

Thanksgiving Day, David's parents came over and we had a really nice day together, playing games, cooking together, and cleaning up together too.  Ed brought over train sets for the girls to play with and they had so much fun with them.

Friday and Saturday were somewhat restful (never mind that we drug ourselves out of bed on Friday morning to go Christmas shopping).  Sunday was a nice day spent with family in church and afterward we went to IHOP to celebrate Gabby's upcoming birthday. 

The girls and I decided to join the choir at church, so we went to practice last night.  It was really nice.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  I hope you had as many things to be thankful for as we did!

We are all okay

It has been so long since I posted and I apologize to all of you who faithfully read this.  We are all doing okay.  God keeps blessing us in ways we least expected.  Here are some pictures to keep you all entertained :)

Pumpkinville the Annual Tradition

Today we packed a lunch and drove to Pumpkinville.  It is a yearly tradition, usually carried out before Halloween, but we had to make it a bit later this year between kids getting sick and being busy. 

I was a chilly, windy day, but we did have a lot of fun cuddling with Zebus...

Petting goats...

There were tons of fun things to do...

More Pictures here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewilsonfam/sets/72157602970038131/

Morning conversations

Dani: Brittany how many houses are there?

Brittany: Where?

Dani: In the universe

Brittany: I don't know

Dani: I think there are a gazillion

---------------------------------------------------------

Me: Somebody needs to tie Dani's shoes

Dani: Yeah cause I can untie, but I can't tie

Bela: If you can't tie you can't untie

Me: Yes you can

Bela: If you can't get up, you can't get down

(in other words if it isn't tied, then how CAN you untie it)

The wisdom of an 8 year old!

Huge Birthday Bash

They had Pass the Parcel

Drop the Strawberry Marshmallow

And had a campfire enjoyed by all!

More pictures posted here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thewilsonfam/sets/72157602895828627/

A couple of cute animal photos

And I wonder where she learned to spell...

We asked the lady to write "POISON CAKE" on the cake for the big birthday bash tonight...instead we got this:

Luckily I had time to fix it:

I won't go into the wonders of our education system!