Janey Kate turns One!!!!!

     Today our Janey Kate turned one. I cannot even put into words how thankful I am for this little girl.  I am pretty sure my pregnancy was more like 3 yrs instead of 9 months.  It seemed like it anyway as it was very rough physically.  There were times I thought I'd literally lose my mind, but I knew it would end and bring  sweetness with that end. I'd do it all over in a heartbeat.  She can be a bit high maintenance, this girl of mine, but she is such a delight.  She is always on the go, but is learning to enjoy a quick cuddle now and then and loves to give hugs and kisses.
    I always have to fight (or accept) waves of sadness on birthdays.  I always miss Knox more than usual on special days.  Birthdays are such fun and greatly anticipated days in our house, and I miss sharing those with him.  Birthdays also mark the passage of time...time without him.  However, I was thinking today about Janey Kate, Knox and a friend of mine whose mother is nearing the end of her pilgrim days and how today could be the day she enters eternity. That day could be shared with Janey Kate's birthday.
     I used to not want special days like birthdays to be shared with Knox's anniversary days...birthday, accident, death...and it still would be very hard. Knox was born on October 27th, 2005.  Janey Kate was born on November 27th, 2010.  She is exactly 5 years and 1 month younger. Anway, I know this is random and rambling, and all they share is the number of the day, but somehow it is a reminder to me in yet another way of Our God, Ordainer of all things, Orderer of our world, and Giver of Good Gifts.  A reminder that in my continual sadness there is also continual blessing and joy and maybe, while we cannot know the mind of God, the gift of life can be a reminder that he is still with us and caring for us in the midst of loss.
  This is a birthday post, so of course, there must be pictures and pictures of us making merry.   She is becoming increasingly difficult to take pictures of since she is never still!!!!! But here there are!!!


Elizabeth continues her stint as birthday decorator.

The little dolls in cups are a matching color game that she made for Janey Kate.  I'll post more pictures of that another day.  We got the idea from pinterest.;-)

She made her a strawberry banner.



 
Opening presents with Lizzy...brown paper packages tied up with string! 



It is a made-by-mommy doll with a matching dress.

 Playing with another toy.

 She kept hitting the toy with her hand and the she'd throw it back and look at it. So cute!

 Showing off her birthday dress while dancing to music.

Giggling with her sisters.

 I think Creed sat here for two days waiting for cake!

 Miss Peggy helped her sneak a lick of icing.

 Eating a bit of dinner first.

 Cake! White cake with homemade strawberry icing made by Elizabeth.

 

 Posing with her doll for a picture.

 

 And in case there was any doubt that she might be a drama queen, this is totally feigned surprise on her part. She wasn't reacting to a thing; just making funny faces. :-)

Thank you friends who came to celebrate though I somehow didn't get pictures.

Love you Mallory Jane Katharine, our favorite one year old.  You make our lives more joyful and give us much to be thankful for!!!!!!!