2 Years Ago Today...

It's our Brook's birthday today!He's such a laid back kid.What a cool guy we've been blessed with! Just happy to be apart of the program. He is our joy baby and we are thankful every day to have him!

My mom would wake us up on the morning of our Birthday's with, "Ten years ago today... or 25 years ago today..." how ever old we were and told us yet again the story of our birth. So this morning we woke Brooks up to, "Two years ago today, our family was blessed with yet another baby boy."

So for those of you who don't know Brooks Story here it is...

Brooks is our third son but my six pregnancy. He was a struggle to get here and a struggle to keep. I was put on bed rest when I was only seven weeks along. We had just lived through a particularly difficult miscarriage before him and I was threatening to loose him. Four weeks I sat on the couch and watched sweet friends and dear family come to our home to clean and watch the big boys. We were brought dinners and prayed for by so many. Our prayers were answered and I was able to enjoy a pretty typical rest of my pregnancy. On the 19th of April I went into labor. Marci walked me all around Walmart until finally I'd had enough. We came home and called up Trever. She was sweet enough to watch the big boys for us while we ran up to the hospital. My mom, Eda, Lauren and Morgan all headed up the hill. ( my dad was recovering from surgery and was left to recuperate at home) Trever's parents came on up to the hospital to wait it out with us. I labored all evening and through the night. He wasn't difficult to deliver, and we all just kinda hung out until finally he was ready to make his appearance. By 2:30 a.m. on April 20th we had our baby. He was healthy and happy, kinda small, but just like he is now, happy to be apart of the program. We brought him home the very same day I had him. I don't really recommend doing that, but it worked for us!

We love you Brooks! Happy Birthday Sweet Boy! Know you are SO loved!

Here are some pictures of the day he was born...

The Butterfly Exhibit

My mom got this crazy idea to take ALL of her grandchildren to see the Butterfly Exhibit this year! All the kids really had a good time. I really miss the desert some times. It can be so ugly and dry, but in Spring, it can be so beautiful!

Thanks mom for thinking of such a fun activity and having the guts to follow through with it!

sure, love you

THE WHOLE CREW!!!

I am not a number, I am annie

I'm sick of numbers. They are so definite, and absolute. I did our taxes this year. I'm sick of numbers. My identity is defined by eight little numbers. My worth is defined by the numbers in the bank. My beauty is defined by numbers on a scale. My intelligence determined by a number on a test. My location is in numbers. I connect with others through seven digits.
I don't want to be a number. But if I must, I want to be the one who determines them. I am wife to 1. Mother to 3. Daughter to 2. Granddaughter to 6. Sister to 5. Daughter- in- law to 2. Sister- in- law to 8. Aunt to 17. Cousin to a multitude and friend to many.
I love those numbers. Those are the ones that matter. The ones that I want to define myself by.
I am NOT just a number, I am annie.

Congrats Matt&Courtney!!!

The world became a bit brighter on Friday when Matt and Courtney welcomed their little Makenzie Sue into the world! She was 7lbs 8oz, and looks just like her daddy! Sweet Courtney labored from the wee hours of the morning until finally at six in the evening it was decided that a c-section would be needed. Mommy and baby are doing great and are well on the road to recovery! We are so thankful to have such a sweet addition to our family. Everyone one of her Porter Aunts and Uncles and most of her Wilkes Aunts and Uncles were there to Celebrate her arrival.

We love you baby girl and can't wait to watch you grow! Well done little brother and Courtney, WE LOVE YOU!!

This is one of her very first pictures!

Matt and his Baby

The Uncles



Do you think they're related?

Bows already!!??



Man, I love this chick!

Porter's Big Day!

This weekend our Porter was baptised a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It was a wonderful weekend! Both of his grandpa's gave talks and his grandma's said the prayers. His cousins and aunts sang a song and his uncles helped confirm him a member of the church.
I know that all mothers say, "It feels like he was JUST born!"
But I truly feel this way! It couldn't have been eight years ago that all these men gathered around my little boy to give him a name and a blessing, and now these same men gather to confirm him. It was a humbling moment for this mommy. A glimpse of things to come. Will I teach him correctly so he continues this path we have placed his feet on? I pray I will.
Porter is such a choice little spirit. He is such a tender soul. I am so blessed to be his mother.
Well done Porter Boy! WE LOVE YOU!




Trever and Porter all ready to go!

All of us at the church

What Sweet Boys!

Some more pics of the day...

Valentine's Day...Shmalintine's Day

I need to confess, I need to come clean, I need to speak my mind. I HATE Valentine's Day. There I said it! Wait, I don't just hate it, I loath it. I despise it. It shadows the entire month of February. I have an involuntary physical reaction at the thought of this holiday.
Now, not to be a "Debbie Downer" about the whole idea... a bit too late... but when did we, as a society, have to be TOLD to show love for one another? When did we as loved ones become so neglectful of one another's feelings that a day was designated for us to be reminded of our affections?
I've really never had a bad Valentine's Day, although my feelings profess I must have. I think it probably stems from a lack of "romanticism". To be frank, it kinda freaks me out. If some guy, back when I was dating, showed up at my house with a crap load of flowers, took me out to an expensive dinner then to his house where rose peddles were sprinkled about, I would have had to drop kick the dude and run out screaming! If Trever showed up with some gaudy jewelery and roses that cost TWICE as much on that one day then any other day, I would force him to return the trinket and try frantically to revive our bank account.
What ever happened to being nice, just because you want to, not because you want SOME?
My most favorite Valentine's Day of ALL time was the day Trev showed up with a half gallon of Cookie Dough Ice cream and a big A coke from Circle K, just for me! That rocked! No damage was done to our financial standing, no bill to pay later, and no pressure to reciprocate. Just some good ol' fashioned kindness!
I know that there are a lot of women out there that adore the thought of Valentine's Day, and I admire them. But pity their significant other. It must be tough to be a guy who knows the pressure this day implies. Finding not only something thoughtful but romantic too! Only to have the lady, in which the gift was intended, be disappointed in its inability to live up to her unobtainable expectation?
So I say we boycott! We take back our power to be thoughtful! Forget about February 14th as the "Day of Love" and why not make it March 21st? or June 6th? Why not just be kind and thoughtful because we like the person in which we are bond in this life as well as the next?
How about a sincere expression of gratitude for the hard work that our husbands put forth in our behalf? Why not a genuine pat on the rump and a "lookin' hot babe!"
I would trade this one day of forced romance for 364 days of sweet kindness any time!

With that said... I wish you ALL a very

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!