Pretty Is As Pretty Does

             
                  Has it really been 6 months since my last blog to you girls? My excuse is ,I'm too busy, not with life, but with soaking in every ounce of your presence and all of your daily accomplishments. I am so proud of you girls my heart could explode! I love how different you are from the other....3 different skin tones, 3 different eye colors, 3 different hair textures, 3 different bratty personalities, but you have one thing in common, DETERMINATION. As your mom, I can't tell you enough how proud that makes me!

                    It blows my mind how something so tiny can have so much determination. Just think about a pit bull the size of a Chihuahua and you have Chanley.

You are so tiny, but you can move mountains. You have overcome more obstacles in your 1 year of life than some people accomplish in a lifetime

You are by far the happiest baby in the entire world! Your smile swallows your head and your little pumpkin teeth shine like diamonds. You have brought so much joy to our now completed family. I often sit back and think about the time we prayed for a little boy. A boy so daddy could teach him all about hunting, baseball, and more BOY stuff.  Then God laughed really hard and gave us the most perfect real live baby doll.

or troll.

I mean how can you not get tickled when you see your pictures. I love how you are the perfect combination of Madisyn and Braylee. You are soft and gentle like Madi, yet you are the identical twin of Braylee. 

This year I was able to help in Bible School, and I asked for the nursery so I can help out and also so I can be in there with you and soak up more time with you.......because that's what good moms do right? Well, guess what? You are abusing your time with me  ... the worst one in the class.

  You are having some separation anxiety going on. I do good to even brush my teeth a full three minutes before I have a curly headed snot wad reaching her little arms up for me ....Then I melt all over again.

As you can see, we are kind of best friends right now! You have such a sweet little personality. You and your daddy have one of the sweetest bonds I've ever seen. Daddy loves all of you girls so much, and I'm so thankful for him being the best father you girls could ever have.

He dances with you, takes you on dates and bandaids all your bobos up! Im going to tell you, I love this man with every ounce in me, but when I see him loving on you it just makes me completely melt. You girls are so blessed to have such a good daddy and I hope you never take that for granted.

We celebrated Your first birthday Chanley

 

It was simple and sweet just like you!

 I love that you have the will power of mighty mouse. May you always know how much you are loved, but never underestimate the size of your little self!

 Mama loves you Cha Cha (Bray started calling you that because she is completely OBSESSED with Grease)

 

DETERMINATION: noun-----the condition of being determined; resoluteness

You have had one heck of a year. I thought I would lose my mind before the doctors ever figured out what was wrong with you. I know that is a dramatic statement, but it did scare the living daylights out of me for a split second 6 months. Anyways ....all is well now....kind of....
The hardest thing for a mom to see is one of her kids hurt..... I AM SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR TINY SETBACK BECAUSE IT COULD BE SO MUCH WORSE...but, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is no joke.. You constantly hurt....and swell....and cry.....and limp......and make me hit my knees extra hard begging GOD for you to be healed from this tiny setback. Your knee brace and ankle brace is part of your daily attire.....you went from never taking medicine to taking pain medicine everyday...In the blink of an eye this came tumbling down on you......swelling of lymph nodes in your knee with an infection, inflammation in knee and ankle with a cracked heel....Even during this time in your life where you constantly hurt you never give up, or let it stop you from doing what you love . You ask me often why you hurt all the time and if you will always have to wear your braces .....the truth is I have no idea, but I do know if there were ever a little girl who could handle this with a cape on...it's you. You have a special place in your heart for special kids. You don't see them as having any labeled disability. You see it as an opportunity to help take care of them and make sure they ALWAYS have a friend. You never want them to feel left out and I'm so proud of you for being that person! I preach and preach to you girls about always treating others the same...If there is a new kid at school, be the one to welcome them in....If someone has hurt feelings, be the one to love them and cheer them up....and both you and Madisyn are those girls! The girls who have an abundance of friends, because you are so sweet, and loving. Your friends come in all colors,  shapes, and sizes with labeled disabilities and without and you never treat anyone less than you want to be treated.

Here you are at Bible school with one of your best friends Lilly. Lilly has muscular dystrophy. Do you know that that means....NO. Do you even care...NO. Do you know that Lilly can't run around and run as fast as the other kids? Sure you do, but does that make you love her any less.....NO. It makes you love her even more. . When I see this picture, I see LOVE....I see my daughter helping her special friend...I see my daughter who is also in some sort of brace because she knows she has something wrong with her as well...guess what ya'll have something in common....No matter how small or large another persons disability is, they are always equal to you! I'm proud you don't sit and wallow in your pain, you move forward and pour your heart into everything you do. You amaze me Braylee Rivers!  Here are some pictures from your and Lilly's sleep over

 

and here is one of you and sweet Keelie! She is another one of your best friends that you take such good care of!

 

 

Now on to my oldest more responsible than me child, Madisyn. I hope you never have to wonder how proud you make me! You are the absolute best big sister in the entire world. You ended the school year with all A's! This goes back to the determination part. You are always determined to do your very best! You are on the cheer squad and dance team(Which I am so very proud you finally got some confidence) You are such a big help to me I may never let you move out jk no seriously. You babysit Braylee and have my house completely spotless when me and daddy get home from work. Do I ask you to do it...no, do you get allowance....no. do you expect anything in return...I pray and hope that your sister see your role you play in our family and want to be just like you with more confidence. You have absolutely no idea how beautiful you really are. I'm thankful you are so genuine and humble and I'm even more thankful God chose me to be your mama! You have a heart as big as the sky. I love how you don't have just one best friend but many friends. I love how you always want to be with your family. I love how you pretend to understand our parenting I heard you laugh. I love how you are the only one in the family without a doctor bill.  Last but not least, I just Love you!

 

I love you girls so much and I love how you always look forward to my blogs!