kendall's birthday (the 16th) coincided with james's grandpa's birthday celebration in st. george and she thought all of it was for her! staying in a hotel, swimming at the pool, and then getting to stay in a townhome with her nana & papa, aunts and uncles, and cousins. it will be hard to top next year!
the birthday girl had very specific birthday cake wishes and i was able to order one down in st. george and have it for her birthday. she loved it!
chelsea and i got the kids matching jammies and they thought it was the best!
we loved celebrating this cute little four year old!
we loved being there to love and support james's grandparents at this special event. my girls love them and enjoyed playing with more cousins while we were there.
brooklyn even made grandpa wayne a fairy house, complete with chandelier for this birthday.
keni kate, how on earth are you four years old?! you are growing up so fast and i love being here to watch the magic happen. you make us laugh every day with your quick wit and funny comments! you're just a little doll and i'm so lucky to be your mom! love you sweet pea!
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My dear little Keni!
I woke up early this morning to watch the Argentina v. Iceland FIFA World Cup match with your Uncle Jeremy. As excited as I was to watch the game, I was more excited for you to wake up so I could see your cute smile! We had a bit of a rough night last night, sleeping down here in St. George in a rental town home with Nana and Papa and all our family who traveled down for Grandpa Wayne’s 80th bday party. Of course you and I always make up and I knew you’d be happy and excited for your special day today. As I watched the soccer game with Jeremy, it brought wonderful memories back, watching the 2014 World Cup at McKay Dee Hospital 4 years ago, holding your tiny little body in my arms. We were so excited to finally have you here and we’re even more grateful for you now after having spent the last 4 years getting to know your cute personality.
You have an absolutely unequivocal imagination and passion for fun and adventure. You are hilarious! I can’t wait to watch videos of you at this age together when you’re older. You crack us up and I’m so grateful for the technology that allows us to capture so many wonderful memories. You and I are both pretty intense people and I pray often that the Lord will help me to be more meek and humble, better able to control my strong emotions so that I can help teach you how to control yours and use them for good. I know that you and I will have arguments and upset each other as you grow older but I also continually pray that no matter what you’ll ALWAYS know just how much I love you and that I ALWAYS ALWAYS will! I pray often that you’ll have the opportunity to know the love I have for you in raising your own children with and incredible eternal companion someday. Please be patient with me and forgive me when I make mistakes. You’re Mom loves you so much too. She worked so hard to get you to our home and went through so much to make sure you got her quickly and safe.
It’s become a tradition to share my testimony with you and your sisters on your birthday and I hope someday it will play some small part in helping you learn the same truths for yourself someday. I know without a shadow of a doubt that not only did Jesus Christ live and walk the earth but that he truly was the only begotten Son of God, the literal offspring of God the Almighty Father and most importantly, our literal Savior, Lord, and King. I know that no One has ever lived and no One ever will who has not only loved us so much, but who has loved YOU! He loves you Keni. He loves You so much that he suffered, bled, and died for You, so he could pay the price for your sins and my sins, for your mistakes, and mine. He did what had to be done in spite of immense pain, suffering, and emotional, physical, and mental agony. He overcame all. Death, disease, despair, discouragement and depression. Three days later He rose, was resurrected, and He Lives again! Kendall, I know that He Lives. I have personally and intimately, in sacred experience, felt His love for me, and in turn, God’s love for all his children. While I am far from perfect, I am striving. I’m striving every day, to be a little better. I want to be the best Dad, the best Husband, the best man that I can be because you and your sisters and your Mom deserve that. You deserve the very best and I hope that you’ll always remember that and never settle. Please choose friends and seek to be interested in boys that will treat you with respect, understanding that you are a Princess, and daughter of the Most High, and that it also means something to be a descendant of the Ruesch and Holmes families. We love you Kendall and we’re so excited to raise you! You are a shining light in home.
Sincerely,
Daddy
