Happy Birthday Lily Kate and Ella!

Little Twinkies!! You are two years old today and I can't believe it! Really, little loves, it seems like yesterday that I was in the ER - sick as can be - when the doc says, "Well, it looks like there are two babies. Congratulations! You're having twins!" I was so shocked and happy and worried and excited and nervous and sick and overwhelmed and... And now you girlies are two and I am nothing but absolutely in love with the two of you. We all are!

Lily Kate, happy birthday little beauty. When I think of you I smile because you really do have the most amazing smile. You crinkle your nose and it melts our hearts. Especially Daddy and brothers. You have them wrapped around your little finger. Lily Kate, you are the little mama. You particularly love to boss people around and Luke and Ella are typically the ones you are bossing the most. They don't listen to you, but that doesn't stop you. You love to clean and will use a box of baby wipes to clean furniture, walls, floors and even Ella! You also like to do Ella's hair and have figured out that when we have Ella pinned down to change her diaper is a great time to wipe her face and fix her hair. It's so cute. Lily Kate you are sweet, smart, really mechanical - your fine motor skills are impressive!, nurturing (when Ella is crying you will say, "What's wrong Ella" or "What's wrong sisher?"), stubborn, sensitive, girlie, loving, and thoughtful. Little Kate, I pray that you grow up to be a woman who loves Jesus and lives that out loud. I pray that you stay sweet, loving, stubborn, sensitive and thoughtful and that God uses those characteristics he blessed you with to draw others to him. My prayer for you is that you are a little light to those around you and that others are drawn to you not only because of who you are, but more importantly because of who God is in you. I love you Lily.

Ella girl, you make me laugh. You are such a mama's girl it is ridiculous! And I love it!! You don't know it yet, but you are perfecting the role of "youngest of four." You love being the baby. You walk around here sucking your two fingers and carrying your very best friend, "Pingy" all over the house. You take that little friend everywhere you go. Ella you are sooo girlie (you love bows, dresses and will turn in front of the mirror and say, "pretty") but while you are girl, you are also adventurous. You like to play in sand and dirt, but you just don't like to be dirty for too long. When big brothers want to play rough, you are their girl. You like to be all rough and tough, but after you are done playing their game you want the boys to sit still so that you can put bows in their hair! Ella you are verbal, funny, silly, loving, spunky, particular and out-going. My girl, I pray that you grow up to love Jesus with every ounce of your soul and that you are passionate about it. I pray that you grow up with strong convictions that are rooted in Christ, but that you are also compassionate and loving to those that don't share your convictions. I pray that you are never ashamed of the Gospel and that you live that out loud in all you do. I love you little Ella!

My prayer for both you little shishers is that you grow up and marry a man like your papa. You are blessed with a Daddy who has integrity, wisdom and loves his God and his family. Please my little babies, don't settle for less. I pray that you have a strong relationship that stands the test of time and distance, and that you always cherish one another. And lastly I pray that you both, along with your big brothers, grow up, grow strong and grow close together. I picture you all like four strong tall redwoods, reaching up to Jesus with tough, thick roots that are intertwined with one another.

I love you girls, with more love than I ever thought I had in me. You are such joys and I am blessed to be your mama.