Happy Birthday! JP and TP

 Taylor -- Well -- you are married now.    So, ONE , birthday blog......

I really wanted to write JP his own blog a few weeks ago but that never happened.

 Then today -- is your birthday and I had thought all day of your birthday blog and was prepared to begin to type when, your dad decided to volunteer "us" to babysit so you could go out on a date with your man.   And that took any extra time of my very little extra time.

  And please don't misunderstand me,  I LOVE the fact that your dad volunteered "us".  As he helped but I truly loved every moment!    Then I get to give her 'back". 


However, even as I type this I am getting about 14 text messages from you cause she is STILL awake!   The joys of motherhood - each birthday from this point on will be different! 

Happy birthday Jake:  

Lord, I thank you for this man that has come into our lives and has taken the wheel to provide and cherish our first born.  He doesn't come with closed fists or a heart that is cold, but he comes with hands extended upward towards you and palms ready to receive.  And his heart -- is after Your heart and character Lord, bless him on his 30th birthday!

Here are 30 things or revlations that have come to my brain in the 2  almost 3 years that I have known you. 

1.  Thanks for you 'bonding' with BP.  It is kind of scary how you both sort of react to the same stuff.
2.  Thanks for being a 'big brother' to HELP and always making sure that rough housing usually happens at several different moments at each visit.
3.  Thank you for being open to my prayers, my suggestions, and my very force full but sweet  ways at times. 
4.  I am thankful for the athletic spirit you bring into our family.
5.  I am thankful for how you make Taylor happy.
6.  I am very proud of your recent 'new job' with the youth at Westside.
7.  I am delighted that you make adorable girl babies. 
8.  I am grateful for our first grand girl -- Ava Lynne and I am proud of how you have been working through a difficult situation and believing that it will continue to get better.
9.  I admire how you must hold your tongue at times because you are living with a house full of women.
10. I pray for you when I know you are hurting because the co-parenting  or living with women has hit a snag.
11.  I am proud of you for standing up and fighting for Ava no matter what the cost.
12.  I am proud that you recognize the need for YOU in Ava's life and how you reaffirm her.   And how you will do this for SJ as well.  
13. .  I am thankful you listen to Ava and tell her what a beautiful girl she is and how she will continue to be. And you will do this for SJ as well.
14.  I am thankful you initiate prayer with Ava all the time.  And I know you will do this with SJ too!
15.  I LOVE how I caught you praying with Ava and for Sawyer as she was about to meet her new sister.
16.  I adore how you pray over your wife and calm her.
17.  I find it rather funny that no matter how tired you are, you will do what Taylor wants or help her change her mind.  ( now why did that not work with Gunner?)
18.  I believe you will touch many lives through all the areas of your life.
19.  I believe you are the perfect dad for both Ava Lynne and Sawyer Jane.
20. I believe that as you continue to tithe and seek God's directions, your finances and other present troubles will be provided for and taken care of through God. 
21. I LOVE how you love dogs and you connect and train  them.
22.   I love how you discipline dogs -- opps, wait -- NO I don't.  Just saying.
23.  I love how you call me Chelly.
24.  I love how you have that strawberry blond hair!
25.  I admired how you supported and took care of Taylor during labor and delivery.
26.  I love how Taylor's friends have become your friends.
27.  I love to hear you laugh.
28.  I love to hang with you and so enjoyed our trip to Colorado and pray we will DO that again very soon.
29.  I adore how you are always showing affection to my first born.
30.  And lastly.... I love that you read your bible and WANT to be a better husband, father, and believer that uses the Word of God as your standard.

Happy Birthday Jacob Padrick -- may I be around to see 30 more!!!

And now Taylor --

27 hugh....?

I could list 27 things.   I could go back combine the blogs I wrote for your 20th and your 25th...  I could rewrite your birth story - oh wait, I think we have BEAT that one like a dead horse.  You were born.  Amen.

But what I want to express the most right now -- is HOW meaningful these past few weeks have been.  You needed me 27 years ago to feed, burp, and bathe you -- and now....in these past four weeks -- I feel like I am doing it all over.

I am feeding you -- with insight and what I know about being a mom.
I am burping you --  as some stuff did not work and it came back out.
I am bathing you -- washing you over and over with prayers and reminders that YOU will succeed at this new adventure and your will survive.

And I am holding you -- the snuggle is real.  You posted that you did not realize HOW much you loved and needed me until SJ was born.  I have watched you for almost 2 years now be a mother to Ava and you excelled.  And now -- the reality of a 24/7 MOM has hit.  

You struggled at first.  It is what it is....but it was a real struggle.  It was just a learning curve and as your husband told you today -- it seems you have turned a corner.

My postpartum left me at about 5 weeks when I went back to work.  SJ is almost 5 weeks and you have begun that routine of 'work' again and slowly you are allowing the Holy Spirit to show you that YOU can be a good mom.    I pray that your postpartum is on its way OUT - in the name of Jesus.

I am so very proud of you Taylor.  As God continues to teach you -- please share and teach others.  I realize you are not teaching students -- but you are teaching many others.  And it just warms my heart that you love those girls with all of your heart.  It is possible to love two -- just like you love the one.

You are an excellent mommy and I pray that as SJ continues to grow and gets more settled into her schedule the nights won't be sleepless and I pray the frustrations won't be too many -- but most of all, I pray that as you enjoy EACH day with SJ and Ava ....that God will be given all the glory.  Both of them are your gifts from God.  Like you and HP were my gift.

Ava made you a bonus mom.  SJ made you a 24/7 mom - a birth mom.  Both girls will learn from you -- both love you and both will look to you one day -- as you have been looking to me.  I pray I am around to see it, but if I am not -- know that ...I prophesied it here --

They will walk and call you blessed -- you are a Proverbs 31 woman.  You are no longer my little girl but you will always be my first born.  I love you - and Happy birthday Taylor!!

"ma"