Happy Birthday Erin!

If you know me, you know how much I love her...

If you knew her you would know what an amazing woman she is.  

If you knew her, you would constantly be amazed by her strength. 

Her physical strength.

She's a runner.  She's healthy.  She eats right and takes care of herself.  

She makes sure her family eats well.  What other child would walk around a Farmer's

Market (Milo) and scream with joy (Milo) when he sees a head of cauliflower (Milo) and 

insist on cradling it the entire day (Milo)?  Erin's child...who else.

I wish I were physically strong like her.

(Erin with Keeler...isn't he cute?)

If you knew her, you would know of her incredible emotional strength.  She gave birth

to premature twins, struggled to have another child, made it through the long

emotional process of adopting a child.  I couldn't have done what she did and does.  

She is emotionally "together".  What strength.

(The loves of Erin's life...Spencer with Keeler, Isabel, and Milo)

If you knew her, you would know that she single handedly brought her siblings-in-law together

in a way that no one else could.  I've watched them all join together when

so much had separated them.  Erin was the source of all that.

It's true...I saw it.

She helped "adopt" me into the family I adore and love so very much.

For that, Terry and I will be forever grateful.  

(Erin with the kids after her race in the Boulder Bolder (?)

If you knew her, you would know that she has a great personality.  When I'm around her

I laugh myself silly.  We shop, we cook, we gossip, we laugh.  I'm pretty sure that we

are twin sisters from different mothers. 

I'm lucky to have a daughter-in-law like her.

If you knew her, you would know of her deep, deep spiritual 

strength.  She isn't perfect.  (I have to keep telling myself that about her!)  Her spiritual strength is quiet.  She never flaunts it.

But, if you look into her eyes, there is no 

mistaking her love of God.  Her belief

in our Savior, and her endless faith.  Whenever I visit her home, I look forward to 

bedtime when she reads Book of Mormon stories to her children

and then...family prayer and the sweet personal prayers of 

Milo and Issy. 

They have been taught very well by a tremendous mother (and father too!) about

what it means to "believe".

I feel so lucky to know Erin.  She is constantly surprising me with her talents.

Mostly, though, I appreciate her mothering.  She is one of the 

best mothers I have ever seen.  

But, if you knew her, you'd already know that!

I love you Erin.

Happy Birthday.