Happy Birthday Charlene!

Today is our oldest child’s birthday.  Charlene is 33 years old today and it is hard to believe that we have a daughter that old!  No offense to you Chars!  :-)  It just seems like she was born yesterday!  Here are some pictures of our sweet Charlene.  She was due on July 7th and finally had to be induced on July 30th!  We don’t want to say anything….but we have been waiting around for her ever since!  haha

 
     Charlene at one month               and  9 months                        

       Chars at 2 years old   and      five years old
Charlene has been such an amazing daughter!  We are so grateful that she was born first, because she has been so loving and forgiving of all of our mistakes that we have made along the way.  She amazes us at how she wants the best for all of her younger siblings, even if she didn’t have it herself.  Charlene has been like a second mom to her younger siblings and we all love her for it.  We appreciate the righteous choices she has made throughout her life and know that it has had an invaluable effect on how the rest of our children turned out.

Here is Charlene in one of her “crazy hair” stages as a pre-teen

Here is Charlene as a gorgeous High School Senior…wow has she matured well!
When Charlene met Paul Johnson, it was love at first sight for both of them!
It didn’t take long before we heard wedding bells!  Now thirteen and a half years later, they have four beautiful children that have blessed their home.
 
Our family didn’t feel complete until Paul came along!  He has been there through the thick and the thin with all of us and he puts up with Chars when we can’t! (love you Chars!!!:-)

Sometimes I ask myself, “What did I do to deserve such a beautiful daughter both inside and out?” I remember when Charlene was younger I felt that in some ways she was more spiritually mature than I was.  I have often wondered if she was older spiritually in the pre-existence, and some how I got the privilege to be her earthly mother.  We have both taught each other so much.  I consider it a great honor to call her one of my dearest friends and confidants.  She loves other people so much and has the ability to “know” just what to say and do to make you feel like a million dollars. 

Happy Birthday Charlene!  You are so special to each of us!  Hope you have a great day….you deserve it!