Tag Archives: birthday

Happy 1st Birthday, Averi Jayden Rhoades!

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Today is Averi’s first birthday!

 

Was it a year ago already that we gathered at the hospital for hours and hours and hours waiting for you to arrive?  And when you waited until just about an hour before your “due date” to make your arrival – we cheered madly in the hallway and  sang praises for God’s gift!? Can it have been 365 days since I first layed eyes on your pretty little face and teared up watching you and your mommy looking at each other with the deepest human love possible?  Yes, it has been a year.  And now, we cannot even remember life before you!

All your cousins and aunts and uncles and Nonna and Poppa call you “Baby Averi,” and still delight to see you come through the door!  What will her hair look like today, we wonder?  Will it be mussy and full or in barrettes?  Will it be in a mature pony and better yet, two little pigtails?  The only thing bigger than your adorable hair are your two gigantic, liquid-blue eyes.  No wait, maybe those puffy, pink, kissable cheeks.  Yes-I think the cheeks first, then the eyes and then the hair.  You are the original love-marshmallow: soft and sweet and delicious and you smell wonderful!

  

I love to see you eating your veggies, chew, chew chew!  I love your tooth-revealing smile and crinkled nose.  I love singing “Averi-Baby” to you to the tune of “Pretty Baby” because you bounce and dance, loving your song.  I love how you rattle off stories and baby jokes to me and then rear back and push out that long, loud laugh!  You are a comedianne and you look just like your mommy except when you draw those eyebrows together in a scowl – then I see your daddy loud and clear!

Happy Birthday, Averi-Baby!  I love you bunches!…Nonna

NOTE TO SELF:  Watch all buttons on TVs and computers and anything tech because this is Averi’s passion right now!

pictured: Averi, all Averi…click on images for a better look

Happy Birthday, Jovanie!

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See Jovan’s posts from last year here and here.

 

Happy 22nd Birthday, Jovan Marie Rhoades!  Happy birthday, o daughter who joined us later than the rest, by a covenant vow to the one son.  Happy day, Jovanie, careful and attentive mommy, devoted Rocky-lover.  Happy day and life to your gentle heart and creative spirit.  Thank-you for that world-lighting smile and for the easy laugh you share.  Thank-you for choosing our family.  Thank-you for knowing you were born to be a Rhoades and joining the ranks of the chattering as if you’d always been here.

Though from the time we met, it was always obvious you were sweet-spirited and kind, respectful and honoring (and loved Rocky like crazy!), who could have known what an amazing woman you would become?  Who could have divined that the same radiant girl who captured my son’s heart by her beauty, both inside and out, would also be such an amazing wife – watching over Rocky, staying close to him, living the adventure that is life with him?  And could we possibly have fathomed  what a loving, fully-devoted, and thoroughly enchanted-by-her-baby mother you would be?  You are doing it right, with Averi, Jovan!  You were born for this!

 

So, I wanted to give you these gifts, not wrapped in glittery paper or festooned with deliriously happy bows (although that imagery does make one think of you), but rather a snapshot of the things I am believing God for in your life, the prayers of my heart for you.  These are the gifts I pray you will open and receive on your birthday for the coming year:

  • I pray that you will go after understanding, wisdom and spiritual insight with all your might.  It is easy after, having been the baby of your growing-up family and then being the youngest in ours (your married-in-to family), to sort of let “the big kids” take charge and  maybe, at times, walk all over you.  And it is true, they are a couple of steps ahead in life and they have some things to share, but God has placed important things in your hands.  He has called you to a place of responsibility as a wife and a mommy and there is no one else who can take that place.  So get wisdom, sweet daughter!  I pray God will pour it out on you as you pursue Him for it! 
  • Fearlessness in the battle.  There is an enemy, Jovan.  He will fight you for your family.  But to be forewarned is to be for-armed.  God looked through all eternity and knew He could trust you for this job.  You are gentle, yes.  You are careful not to run over people’s toes.  But I also see the warrior spirit in you – absolutely aware at every turn where the battle lines are drawn.  I pray for God to be your to be your shield of protection and your deliverer.  I pray He will give you the needed courage at the right times and that you will have no fear – because you are not alone!
  • The joy of the Lord for the strength you need.  I am praying for an outpouring of an abundance of clear, sparkling, life-giving rain to wash over your heart and mind.  I pray you will be known as one who laughs right our loud in the face of danger!  I pray that you will have everything Jesus promised in the area of joy: complete joy, and a full measure of His joy.  I pray you get so much joy – it will splash on everyone else! (Ps 28.7; Ps 4.7; Jn 18.11; Jn 16.24; Jn 17.13)
  • A double-dose of continued creativity.  You are becoming such a “virtuous woman” in the Proverbs 31 sense.  I admire that in you.  I love that you are sewing things for Averi and constantly looking for ways to create beauty and comfort in your home.  I see how energized you are in the creation process and I am praying more of that for you!
  • The ability to receive the love admiration that surrounds you.  You are likeable.  You are loveable.  You are some one people want to be around.  You are accepted.  There is nothing wrong with you.  You are the person God created you to be – He did not make a mistake.  And?  You are alive and you are well because of His hand on your life, His call in your heart.  It is OK for you to be thankful about that, to unabashedly enjoy living.  So enjoy it!  Receive all the love that surrounds you, my sweet girl.  Breathe it in!  Grab it with both hands, free of guilt or trepidation.  Live and love!

Happy Birthday, Jovan.  I love you with my whole heart.  You are worth so much to me.

We are blessed to call you one of our own…Mom

NOTE TO SELF:  Investigate-are there any pictures of Jovan without Rocky and Averi in them?  Anywhere??? 

pictured – ALL with her life loves: Jovan with her cherry cheesecake at the family celebration a few days ago; Jovan and fam in a farm field a few weeks ago; Jovan at a big pasta night a month ago;  and Jovan where you will often find her – on the floor playing with Averi.

“…this daughter-in-law, who loves you so much, why she is worth more to you than seven sons!” Ruth 4.15 The Message

Choo! Choo! Train Cake for Hunter

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Whereas last year’s firetruck cake (see here) was about 80 pounds and I toiled in fear over it, I have now realized I am not really “into” novelty cakes and was very relaxed.  It was simple and straightforward (with Dave explaining to me what a train must have) and instead of doing lots of piping and icing stuff, we “glued” Tropical Twizzlers and M & Ms and Dots, along with a couple of varieties of cookies onto this train cake for Hunter’s 4th birthday.  Dave piped windows for me and I came up with mini-Kit Kats as the idea for the railroad ties.

The board it was on was 13 inches wide by 3 feet long.  The engine was 3 2-inch layers of cake at it’s highest part and was 4″ wide by 14″ long. The other cars were 8 inches and 12 inches long, respectively.  The “coal” was a box of Junior Mints.  It was just plain white cake wih the almond-infused buttercream, which, it turns out, Hunter is not a fan of.  He wants his icing (which he prefers to cake) to be plain, old vanilla-flavored.  Next time, Magoo, next time. 

The smokestack was my favorite part: icing glued cookies, and a “Dot” base holding a cocktail pick threaded through popcorn for the smoke.  Pretty cute!

 

I had looked at a bunch of train cakes online and cracked up at them and wondered why people would even post them.  Then mine turned out like theirs.  Ha!  But there wasn’t any sweat and the grandkids loved it. It was quick, simple, easy, fun and in the end the candy was the huge hit!

There are still vats of buttercream here…takers?…Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  A Candyland cake!  YES!  Using MMF and lots and lots and lots of candy!

pictured: the cake, the chalkboard in the kitchen;  and Hunter at his house about to blow out his candles!

Hunter Magoo – I love you!

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Yesterday, October 9, on Hunter’s actual turning-four-years-old birthday, I was once again explaining how his mommy had been my baby and I remembered her turning four and how now he was her baby.  The concept is still mystifying to him in some ways, but he pondered, “So that’s why you love us both so much?”  Yes, pretty much – that is why.

Hunter is four.   Happy Birthday, Magoo!  I really really love you!  Isn’t turning four fun?  You’re having a whole birthday week!  Monday you got your new trampoline (mommy and daddy were too excited to wait – so they led him to it, eyes closed.  He liked it, he smiled, he jumped.  Then he said, “I really wanted a motorcycle.”  ???).  Wednesday, on my birthday, all the cousins were at your house and you were more excited about that than your own birthday! 

Then yesterday, we got to spend the day together and wow was that fun!  Shapes and colors and letters and school-work and cousins and play and indoors and outdoors and making funny faces as we sat in Pa-pa’s big leather office chair.  You were my cuddle-bug and silly man.  You asked a million questions (your favorite being “why?”) and you watched some Sprout and jumped some rope and had plenty of candy and Rice Krispie treats and snuggled with me and made me chase you around the house and made me laugh!  But the best part?  When we got out the old vinyls and how much you love the ceremony of changing a record and learning how you must be careful not to scratch them or bump into the player (NOT an I-Pod!).  And I love how interpretive you are in your dancing, from marching your head off to “76 Trombones” from “The Music Man” soundtrack to an aggressive, very modern and physical rendition when I introduced you to “Footloose.”  Kevin Bacon had nothing on you, my little man!  Seriously!  I’m so glad we had this time together…

   

pictured: I knew I had, within the past two weeks, taken lots of pictures of Hunter, but when I went to look at them – they are ALL a blur.  I swear he is looking me in the eye and looking cute when I pick up the camera to shoot, but by the time I press the button-he is already long gone.  But this is the current view of Hunter, in reality.

 

Pictured:  Finally, I snuck up on him as he was side-by-side with his cousin, Gavin, one of his all-time favorite people, and I was ready as I whispered his name and he turned his head!  Yea!  And on the right-Hunter’s first day of pre-school with Nonna, juice mustache and all.

We are still celebrating you, Hunter,because we love and adore you!  Chucky Cheese with mommy and daddy last night and your party still coming up (“I hear a train cake comin’…”).  I love your deep, inquiring melancholy side, your gruff little voice and the cowlick right on the front of your head.  I love your greenish-blue eyes and brown skin and your little M & M toes.  I love that you know a million songs and lots of scripture and that you still determine whether or not you are going to be flying today based on whether you have the Superman cape on or not.  You ARE a superhero to me!

Happy Happy Birthday week, Hunter Magoo.  I love YOU!…Nonna

NOTE TO SELF:  More “Footloose” and other great movie dance sequences for Hunter while he is still living and interpreting the music unabashedly and with great passion!

Sweet Niece Elise – A Belated Happy Birthday!

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I have 8 nephews and 2 nieces among my siblings.  For the most part, we’ve never lived in the same city, so they are just these far-off adorables you get to see growing up through Christmas card photos and the every-other-year family gatherings.  They are a pretty likeable bunch!

Until March, we have never lived closer than 13-20 hours from my sweet niece, Elise, the firstborn to my brother Joe and his wife, Robin.  But then she moved here following 2 years of leading missions trips with YWAM and what extra joy she has brought!

She turned 22 on the 22nd and it is fitting for she is at least 22 times happier and excited about life than most anyone else on the planet.  She has made us laugh at least 2200 times since she got here and she has been a happy encourager to all of us no less than 222 times.

We have a video of Elise when she was 9 years old, very happily describing the pretty outfit she has just purchased for church, just bubbling in anticipation of the moment she’ll be able to don it and model it for us all.  The very weekend she moved to Denver this year, on a Saturday afternoon, she bounded into the kitchen sharing excitedly, Look at this cute outfit I got for church today!! and  drew us all into the excitement of how cute she would be.  She never fails to pull us in by her exhuberance for living, where even small feats are opportunities to celebrate. 

Happy Birthday, sweet Elise Rachelle Moslander!  You are color and light and a world traveller with a big heart.  You have become the beautiful young woman I always knew you would be, but have surprised me by being such an amazing woman of faith and trust in God!  You are a faith woman, for sure!

May all your blessings come times 2 this year!…Aunt Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF:  Take good care of my sweet niece, Elise!