Blessed Memories Scrapbooks by Karrilee: The Days and Weeks of Kayelyn's Birthday!

Aaah yes... it is true... my baby is almost (ALMOST!?) a teenager!

We always joke around that our daughter's birthday celebrations go on for so many days in a row is almost feels like a Jewish Festival of weeks and weeks of celebrations!? Oh - she is SO not complaining about it, of course!!! And really - neither are we! We are so blessed to have family close by and we are able to drag out the celebrations to really commemorate her getting another year older! Next year she will officially be a teenager?! Ugh?! So not looking forward to THAT part?! Of course - as it is now, she STILL has her days...

Overall - she is such a blessing to me! I adore her and am constantly in awe of who she is and what God is doing in and through her at this young age. She is a consistent source of joy to me and I pray that will always (well... at least ALMOST always?!) be the case! Oh - I know... I've heard it before... all of those "Oh, you just wait's" and "You'll see... you'll know..." head shakes... But here's the deal... I am praying against that! LOL!? I know what is considered 'normal' teen behavior in our culture... and yet I know many parents and teens who have successfully made it through those years without wanting to kill each other or shoot daggers of death with their eyes at each other! I have watched and observed... and I have seen it done! So - that is my hope... that we will remain close through these next few years where the lines of Mom and Friend start to blur and come back into focus and blur again... I have always told her that I am stricter than most... but that is because I know that my time is limited and soon the day will come where I will begin to let loose a bit at a time... and while I am trusting her and letting go, her other friends' Mom's will be panicking and wanting to take more control - but it will be too little, too late!? You cannot be the cool Mom when they are little and then want to set rules when they are older... I've seen it backfire too many times?!

Anyway - I have not scrapped ANYTHING since NSD... I still have a card order to complete (which I will work on tomorrow night at my Crop at church) and I haven't heard from my Italy Client for a few weeks either... hopefully that is coming along and I will get those pictures soon!? I do have a ton of Birthday Pictures to print out and Scrap - but I haven't done that yet... I'm trying to pace myself so I will have something to do for the NEXT Crop!? LOL?! It's sad, I know?! I just need more clients, that's all!?

Actually - my niece is getting married next month - so I have been submerged in everything Shower and Wedding related!!! I get to throw her a Bridal Shower in the beginning of June... and I am the Photographer for the Wedding (and my gift to her is to scrap their Wedding Album too!) So - I will have PLENTY of things to do soon enough!!!

My daughter had a family birthday dinner on her actual birthday, a friends slumber party the next day... one family celebration the NEXT day, and another family celebration on Sunday - along with Mother's Day of course! So, just for fun - here are a few Birthday shots over the days and weeks of Kayelyn's Birthday...