Happy Birthday Laura Lee

Today is Laura Lee's 24th birthday. I am beyond words  grateful for her! She is a joy in our family's life. I wish to honor her and highlight her life today. I am a better person having her in my life. God blessed William and me richly when he sent us our little girl!

I am grateful for the joy Laura Lee brings to everyone around her! Laura Lee has a spunk and enthusiasm for life! She is fun to be around! She has an energy which is contagious.  She lights up a room. She is a breath of fresh air. Others love to be around her!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's sense of self. Laura Lee is true to herself. She is real. She is not afraid to discuss her opinions with others. She sets an example in the area of self authenticity!

Laura Lee is a good friend to others. I am grateful for the friendships she has developed over the years. Since she had no sisters, she has reached outward and found good friends to share life with. She is loyal to her friends and gives honest feedback. She is generous and giving with others!

 I am grateful Laura Lee understands priorities in life! Laura Lee is a wonderful mother who knows how influential she is in Addie's life. She is a stay at home mother as her husband goes to school. She makes many sacrifices and is embracing the joys, yet challenges of motherhood. I admire her greatly for placing her husband and child at the top of her priority list. When Laura Lee was a  junior in High School, she was in a pageant, in which she placed first runner up. When asked the question "Where do you see yourself in ten years?", she responded "being a stay at home mother with lot of kids around me". She also spoke with respect about seeing me in my role as mother and wanting to follow that. She spoke with conviction about  how important a mother is in her child's life.  Many people afterwards told us they were in tears after she was done with her answer. It rang true to everyone. Also, in High School when doing a "career report" she wanted  to focus on the "career" of being a mother. She was told this was not an acceptable career choice and she needed to choose something else. It has been sad at times when others around us don't understand the importance of motherhood. Laura Lee has always innately understood this!

I am grateful Laura Lee understands the importance of home! Laura Lee seeks to make her home a beautiful place. With the little resources she has, she has made her home lovely. She has painted, sewn, crafted, bargain hunted, learned from others, etc., and because of this her home is inviting, warm and beautiful! She continually seeks to improve her surroundings to make it a place a beauty!

Laura Lee is a great homemaker. This one developed when she had HER OWN HOME! She has learned the homemaking skills of cooking (she's a great cook) , keeping a home orderly, budgeting, laundry skills, etc., It's a blessing to her family! She is talented at picking up homemaking skills quickly. I am learning from her at this point, and love to be taught the skills she has developed! I am grateful we can have this mother/daughter relationship  where my daughter is the teacher!

Laura Lee is a nurturer. She has taken her brothers under her wing and has been a second mother to them. She has been amazingly loving as she has helped her younger brothers (especially Michael and Tanner) in their development to manhood. I appreciate her support, her kindness and her sincere help. She has been a friend and confidant to Ryan and Jeffrey. It's a blessing  beyond words, one I can't even express adequately.

Laura Lee married well, very well! We are so proud of Marc and love him like our son. We are so grateful for Marc!  He is so good. He has so many amazing qualities. He is such a hard worker. He is  intelligent, unselfish, and  such a protector for his little family. He is so committed to his church service and to helping others when they need it. He sacrifices greatly for his family! Laura Lee and Marc work so well together. They are devoted parents. They are such givers! They are awesome together!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's talents. She has helped me in the dance arena much of her life. She embraced the love I had for dance. It was a joy watching her perform on stage all those many years. (She also competitively cheered  in High School and it was fun to see her in cheer also.) She had passion in her dancing and was an example to so many of my students. She assisted dance classes and then taught them. Later she was a backstage manager at my dance recitals, and now helps me with costume orders. Laura Lee also has the talent of thoughtful gift giving. This is such a hard thing, but she is amazingly good at this. She makes her own cards, sews many of the gifts she gives and is generous in this area. Laura Lee was first chair in flute most of her High School years. She was captain of her competitive flag corp and always placed superior.  Laura Lee is a woman of many talents and continues to develop them!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's search for truth. She had steadily gained a strong testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and of his gospel. She seeks to live by the Savior's teachings. She is unselfish, dedicated, and serves willingly. She has faith, hope and charity!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's strength. She stands for what is right. She is a leader. She has strong convictions! 

If I were to describe Laura Lee in one word it would be wise. She is wise beyond her years. She understands the plan of salvation and her role in it and seeks to follow it.  She understands priorities and choices.  She is becoming "a mother who knows" in all she does. 

Another word to describe Laura Lee is nurturing. She has become unselfish and seeks to make others happy. She seeks to help others when they need help. She is a friend to those who need a friend. She cares for others in her own special way and helps them to be their best self. She is a nurturing mother and wife. She is a nurturing sister and friend. 

Our family is so blessed to have this choice daughter and sister to be among us. We love you Laura Lee and are so grateful for your life!