So IT'S thE BiG 30

I remember distinctly my 30th birthday. I was 9 months pregnant with you and living in Denver. Our first time living away from family. I was worried with no family close who would love our new little baby and enjoy watching her grow up? I needn't have worried! Our little Elly was adored by all her older sybling from the minute she arrived home from the hospital. They even waited to see her before leaving for their Easter Egg Hunt. They were all old enough to appreciate having a beautiful little sister. AND there was Dale and David, our neighbors next door and across the street. It was hysterical! They would fight over who got to hold her first and for how long! Their wives were not even in the running. Elly has been loved, adored and spoiled from birth!

Ellynn Marie, was named for her Great G'ma Ellen. I changed the spelling so she would also have part of her Aunt JacLYNNe's name and Marie for Aunt Joan. I was proud of myself for getting all 3 covered. I was wearing out and didn't think I would have any more so this was it. Aunt Sally said she always wanted to name her little girl Ellen Marie if she ever had one.

Elly is a non-stop party! The house was never empty when she was a teenager. As each of the kids have moved away from home the emphasis has kind of shifted to the next oldest in line. When Meagan and Cory moved back into the basement while he was going to school I wondered how Ellynn would feel about that and so I asked her. She told me she had been born into a big family because Heavenly Father knew she liked being around a lot of people! She didn't like it when people left! Even when she comes home for a visit now we can plan on seeing all the old friends she has in the area! And we can plan on the over all volume of noise in the house going up several decibels!

The trip to Oklahoma/New Orleans would never have been as much fun! Elly is the best DJ ever! And no one reads out loud like she does. We would request all these different accents and she would do her best to accomodate. However she does suck at a French accent! Will we ever forget Dixie Chicks, Earl's Gotta Die, and The Hiding Place! She is also the Tetris Queen, Both the game and in real life. No one can beat her packing a car...even Adam. We would pass a car with things strapped to the top and she would say in all seriousness, "Obviously they don't know how to pack." How did we get in those #$%%@cats? Thanks Ellynn!     

I think she has built the most igloos of all the kids. Including the one that collapsed on her and Alicia in the middle of the night and the one that collapsed on her when she climbed up on top of it for pictures. Maybe she's not that good at it? (No really there was a warm wind that came up the night with Alicia) The paramedics came and we had her flown by helicopter to the nearest hospital. Her recovery was almost immediate...Thank heavens! After her VERY expensive helicopter flight, x rays, and exam she was able to attend that evening's performance at the high school as hostess. Really? Thanks Baby Adam! You can ask Elly what I mean by that. 

She does know how to work. Remember carrying the old toilet out and dropping the whole thing into the garbage can at the little Provo house?  Remember later standing quietly.....and fearfully by while G'pa Les tried to seat the new one? Remember everything we had to do to that house? I don't think you missed a project. The night we tiled the whole kitchen til 3 in the morning and it was beautiful. Still can't figure out why it turned out so well. I think God felt sorry for us and helped us work it out!
Spreading bark by moonlight! The hikes! Your mission!

YOU are a peacemaker. You bawl in movies and embarress yourself. You are an amazing hair stylist. You make people feel good about themselves! Your sense of humor is so fun!You can get away with murder!!! You are the only person on earth that can get away with calling Mike, Captain Buttercup, now Major Buttercup. (Is that a promotion?) To name a few of the things I love about you!

I could go on and on.......so many many years....so many many stories!

I love you, my beautiful little girl from the top of your head to the tip of your Flinstone Toes. You are the Best, as our little Tristan would say. And I am so blessed to be your mother! Have a Wonderful Day!

MOM