Heather Rachael Larsen Nelson

On October 8th, 1973, I gave birth to my first baby, a girl - Heather! She's always been a bit sassy as you can tell by the look on her face in this picture! Most pictures of her as a child show her with hands on her hips!

It's not easy to describe how lives change with the birth of your first child. I can say that my life has always been better because of giving birth to Heather.

Heather always wanted to be a wife and mother but she was very smart and didn't rush into a marriage just for the sake of being married. She matured and she picked wisely. Now she's a mother of two beautiful girls and it's so much fun to watch her as she rejoices in being who she always wanted to be. 

Heather is a shoe person - which a a very individual trait because I will go bare - footed if it means getting another purse! But to each her own!! : )

Life with Heather was a life of "firsts". First tooth, first day of school, first date, first day leaving her at college... You get the picture!

She was a bit mouthy as a teen! : )  But we survived it! I do remember one time she got a glass of tea in her face because she wouldn't BE QUIET!!! But - we survived it!
 
We practiced on her. She survived. We survived. With her I learned whether I believed in spanking children. I learned about time out. I learned how to become a Mom. - Never got that 100% right, but she survived. Her sister and brothers survived. I survived.

She went to Bible College, then taught school in Haiti for two years. She became independent and grew up. Now she's worked in retail for "years"!! 

Being a Mom is one of her biggest privileges and blessings. She's good at it. I admire the way she is able to juggle a household, being a mom and traveling with her job as a district manager with Yankee Candle Company (shameless plug). She picked a good husband to help her with all this juggling!!  I know I could never have accomplished all that she has.

I used to tell her (especially when she reached the age of "looking in the mirror")  "It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside if you aren't pretty on the inside." 

She has grown up to be a beautiful woman - inside and out.

Happy Birthday, Heather!

I'm very proud of you.

(and as I told your brothers - your card is late! It's in the mail)

(it's my age) 

 

 

Timothy Gottschall Larsen

Yesterday, October 6th, my oldest son Timothy, turned 34. He was my third child, my first son. He was named after a friend of his Dad's and his middle name, Gottschall is his Grandma Larsen's maiden name. He was a rolly polly little baby and his sisters loved hugging and kissing him.

Tim has always made me laugh. He's always been "different" - a good different and has always been funny. By different I mean he never "went along with the crowd." He was always an independent soul. 

When he was young, he asked if he could be baptized. His Dad thought he should wait a little while because he was so young. One evening after taking his bath, he came into the living room where I was and said,"Mom, you don't have to worry about baptizing me anymore, I knew all the right words so I just did it myself in the bathtub."   He also decided at an early age that if Adam and Eve hadn't sinned, he wouldn't have to go to school. He always kept me on my toes.

The one on the left is Tim getting ready to go pick up his date for his junior prom. The other guy is his friend Joe. Joe's mom and I didn't have patterns to make the kilts - we just made them to the specifications of the guys! good times!

I have enjoyed this guy from the day he was born! There were times I was concerned about the decisions he was making - but I have never been concerned about him as a person. He has always been a great son. 

After 9 11 he made the decision to join the Army. He became a member of the 82nd Airborne and I was very proud of him. He served our country for 8 years and he did it very well. He earned a bronze star and was also very well respected while serving. I received a letter from one of his commanding officers telling me what a good job he was doing and how respected he was.

He's dealt with much adversity. Not of his own making but of others. I've been very proud of the way he has handled himself and protected his family. 

He does his best at being a good husband and a good Dad.  He's a hard worker, very creative - and he still makes me laugh!

 Happy Birthday, Tim! 

I'm very proud of the man you've become!

God bless you in all you do.

(PS - didn't get your card mailed... Will give it to you next weekend!)

: )