Happy Birthday, Gracie!

Today is my sister Grace's birthday.  She is turning 16 years old and I can just hardly believe it!  She started out as an adorable baby who took my spot as the youngest child (after 10 years!) and has turned into quite an amazing, beautiful and accomplished young woman.  When Grace was born, it was kind of like she had 4 moms.  Of course she had our real mom, and then she had Sara, Mary and me all telling her what to do.  I guess you could say she had quite a bit of pressure on her to be awesome :)  I think that dealing with all of us is what turned Gracie into the laid back (and slightly zoned out) person that she is today.  Don't get me wrong, she works hard and excels at school, sports, piano and her job at the ice cream shop, but if you know Grace, then you're know the zoned out look I'm talking about.  Of course she's probably just trying to think of new things to Google about One Direction, or planning her dream wedding to one of the band members.

This is pretty much going to be a post of pictures of Gracie through the years.  Believe it or not this is only about a third of the pictures I wanted to post.  There are just so many cute ones!  I hope you don't mind everyone seeing how cute you were, Grace :)  Not that you're not cute anymore...  I'll try and caption most of them with little bits about her.  Happy Birthday, Gracie!  I can't wait to see you in a couple weeks!

Sara and Grace on Grace's first Christmas.

Mary and Grace playing at our house in Indiana.  

Me and Gracie after I'd just finished feeding her.  She kind of looks like the Cheshire cat here.

Grace and Duncan.  He was a good cat.

Mimi and Papa with Grace.  

Grandma and Grace in Indiana.

Her first popsicle!  I had tons of pictures of this and they were all so funny.

Listening to some music on a trip to Montana.  We had to put the pillow on top of her head to make the earphones fit!

Ok, we skip a few years here, but I just couldn't find any toddler pictures on my computer or in my printed pictures.  I'm sure you can just imagine how cute she was :)

Grace's first dance recital.  Cutest teddy bear ever.

Sarah, Amanda, Grace and Mary.  This was the room Grace and I shared in Lake Charles until Sara left for college.

Grace's sense of style has improved immensely, haha!

Grace's first triathlon when she was only 8 years old!

On a trip to Galveston.

Mary and Grace at the Trowbridge cabin in Montana. 

You know she's a cool kid when she requests a Yoda birthday cake!

Grace and Mollie during their first winter in Ohio. 

   

I think we were baking some sort of Christmas treat.  

Christmas in Ohio.

One of her Christmas piano recitals. 

Hey Grace, remember the Jonas Brothers and how much you loved them.  I wonder if they're sad that you've moved on to One Direction?  Just kidding.

Trying out her new skates.

Aaah!  I seriously can't believe how grown up you look in this picture, Gracie!  So pretty.

Grace, Dad and Me after our Easter 5k this year.

In Lake Charles, celebrating Amanda Schram LaGrange's wedding.

Grace even caught the bouquet at our wedding.  One of those One Direction guys better propose soon.  

 Well, once again, happy birthday, Grace!  I hope you're having a great time on your mission trip and I'll see you in a few weeks.  Pizza sisters for life!