September 30th

Jillian is my 1st baby, the one who first taught me what it means to be a mommy! :-) I remember 5 years ago to this day being overwhelmed by how much I loved this little person who I had just met. But I am truly thankful to God that I gave my heart completely to our little bundle of joy and that HE chose to give us Jillian. She is a delight to our family and I can not imagine my life without her. I am still in awe of how thoughtful Jillian is and how she can ask me the most thought-provoking questions! She is sensitive to her sister's needs, loves to do math equations (just like her daddy), and as of today wants to be an artist when she grows up. :-)

The Story of September 30th -8 years ago, my junior year of college at A&M...

When I attended A&M, I went to a freshmen camp for Christians called IMPACT. I met my very best college friends at that weekend retreat and two of those sweet friends were Jenny Bloodsworth and Christie Keil. I mention them specifically because they have a very special birthday, September 30th. All of my years at Aggieland, I have lots of fun memories celebrating on Sep. 30th with both Jenny and Christie. But my Junior year I have a very distinct and special memory. I was walking to one of my classes and went by the Evans Library when I ran into Brad Holmes ( I had only met him a couple of other times at our church at that time).

Brad made small talk with me and asked me what I was doing that day. I told him it was my roommates B-day (Jenny) and I was making her favorite meal of salmon for dinner that night and of course dessert too. He told me he thought it sounded delicious and wanted to know when he could come over too. I laughed, thinking he was joking. 

 Well, I can't tell you how many more times Brad asked me when he could come over for his dinner and I would LAUGH! (I was a very traditional girl and I wasn't going to have a boy over to my house for dinner when I just met him.) But Brad was persistent and I eventually discovered, with the help of my friend's dad, that I should have him over for dinner as a friend! So I did, and that very next week he asked me over for dinner at his house, and so began our courtship.

I think it is amazing that only THREE years later TO THE DAY after running into this "random guy" I barely knew at the library, I would give birth to our baby girl in the state of Maryland!  Its incredible how much your life can change in a short time.

While I was still in the birthing room at Shady Grove Hospital and still a little groggy from the medication (I am not sure how coherent I was at that time), I told the nurses that two of my best friends had the same birthday as my baby! :-)

Even now, it is my prayer that someday my little girl would grow into being one of my very best friends.

My mom wrote me a card for my 17th birthday that said (I know it by heart):

"God gave you to us as a baby, you grew into my spiritual sister, and together we have proven that a mom and daughter can be best friends." When I lost my mom only two months later, I prayed that someday God would bless me again with the relationship of mother/ daughter. God has answered my prayers with a "YES" not only once but THREE times, and it all began with my little Jillian FIVE years ago.

I made this photo book for Jillian's 2nd birthday (before Faith came into our family). It has many of my favorite pictures of our first year together. :-) I praise God for the beautiful blessing of our daughter, Jillian.

Click here to view this photo book larger

"Jillian Laurelee"

Jillian's name means "youth" and we felt like she was the child of our youth. Jillian was born only 9 months 12 days after we got married. Even though I had always wanted to be a mom, I felt unprepared to be the mom I had always wanted to be. God comforted me with the Scripture Isaiah 40:11 "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." I knew He would lead both Brad and I as young parents (and He still does!) and more than that He was holding our daughter closely to his heart. Laurelee is my mom's name, she was named after her grandma who is in Heaven.