Happy Birthday Avery!

Yesterday was Avery's 22nd birthday! We just got home from 10 days on the road yesterday afternoon, but we were still able to put together a surprise birthday party for her last evening. She was surprised to see the cars just keep rolling down the driveway, clueless, for awhile, that they were there for her. :-)

Avery was a peaceful baby, born just 17 months
after her sister (me), and we have been best friends
since the first moment I saw her!




Mom always knew Avery had awakened when
she saw her little head peeking over the bassinette.





Avery has always been full of fun and laughter!
Avery could keep up with her brothers and since
Nick was followed by two sisters, he quickly recruited
her as one of his team players. :-)
Dolls were our favorite thing to play together, though,
and we spent hours practicing our mothering skills.



Avery had an ornery smile at times, and though
she was shy to begin with, that ornery side soon
came out, and with it, lots of fun, games and laughter!
She has a way of cheering you up and putting a
smile on your face. :-)

Avery has loved children since she was old enough

to swing one onto her hip! And she's very good

with them. Having lots of practice with her younger

siblings, she has spent hours rocking them to sleep,

reading books, teaching and just enjoying them.


Avery was always very good in school and

graduated in 2003. It was hard to stay ahead

of her sometimes! She wrote lots of poems

and short stories as soon as she could read and

write and so it was no surprise that she would

follow that dream and gift and become the author

of three books by the time she was 21.

She has a black and white paint mare that just

foaled this year. She loves to ride and we have

spent lots of time on horse back. She has a little

more guts than I do when it comes to riding horses

that don't listen, which will be good when it comes

time to break her little colt. :-)

Avery and I were so thrilled when Havilah was

born and we finally had a little sister to spoil! Now

that she's quite grown up we have a lot of fun as a

trio, singing together, working together, laughing

together and making many lasting memories.

Avery truly is a gift and a blessing from

God! I don't know what life would be like

without her. She always has a smile on her

face, an encouraging word and a giggle that's

contageous! We thank the Lord for her and

all that she is to us and those around her.

Happy Birthday Avery!