Sunday, June 2, 2013

Happy Birthday, Poppy, David, & Elliott!

Today, on June 2nd, 3 very significant people in my family share a birthday - My Dad, my Brother in law, and my niece.


Today is my Dad's 62nd birthday!  He has lovingly been referred to as "Poppy" since Vienne was born.  "Poppy" is what I called his dad, my grandpa, when I was little.  
Poppy and Vienne were always very close.  Poppy is the nature-loving Grandpa with fun imagination and creativity.  Poppy and Vienne shared a special "adventure" or "mission" together - They always talked about going on wild hunts for "Toothless" the dragon, up in the hills (from How to Train Your Dragon).  When he would visit, they would gather their swords and sometimes go on a little hunt-walk together, to try and scout Toothless out.  Again, the swords were never intended to harm (Vienne had no idea that that is what swords really did).  Swords were just the "paraphernalia" you carried when you hung out with dragons...right?! ;)

Dad, I love you and miss you!  You have always been a selfless and compassionate father to me.  I will never forget how you always put me and Katy first...for it has taught me to be a selfless parent to my girls.  I will always treasure the love you have for Vienne and will never forget how you told me that "little girls are magic".  Yes, Daddy, they are.  I love you.

Here are some sweet photos of Vienne and Poppy over the years~

(Poppy holding his very first grandchild when she was just born)

(stopping in to pay Poppy a visit when she was probably about 4 months old)


(sweet conversations between grandfather and granddaughter...I'm pretty sure he was smitten!)



(Thanksgiving 2008)

(Christmas 2008)

(Christmas 2009.  Vienne got some of her goofiness from Poppy!)

(a nature walk with Poppy and Dooba.  She didn't know Toothless at this age.  Dooba is the little wooden puppy that she is pulling.  When she was 2, Dooba came with us EVERYwhere!  "Dooba" was the first name she came up with on her own and Dooba was pulled around until his rope broke!)

(Christmas when she was 2 1/2)

(a tired girl snuggling with Poppy, getting to stay up late at Aunt Katy's birthday party)

(blurry action shot of balloon play on her 3rd birthday)

(fun in the snow, January 2012)

(eat the snowman!)

(always the happy little tomboy)

(me and my Daddy on my wedding day.  <3)

(Vienne is 2 and wishing Poppy a Happy Birthday.  How much do you love the way she says "love you" with her mouth full of water!!  Too much cuteness...ALL.  THE.  TIME!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
XOXOXO



Today is Mark's brother, David's birthday!  David and his wife, Kinsey, have been some of our hugest supporters through our loss of Vienne.  Vienne was always so very special to them and she was the only local cousin that their daughter, Elliott, had...until Ivy.  David is such an incredible and compassionate brother to Mark and I feel so blessed to watch their relationship grow even closer, through our grief.  David and Kinsey are amazing parents and it is a treasure to share in the passion for parenting with them.
David, you are an incredible daddy to your precious daughter, a loving and supportive husband, a compassionate and thoughtful brother, and a fun and treasured uncle.  We love you.  

I don't have many photos of David with Vienne...but here are a few special ones I found ~

(David and Kinsey walking with Elliott and Vienne to a park last summer)

(Uncle David playing with Elliott and Ivy a few months ago)

(matchy matchy brothers...it's a thing they do.  ;))

(pretty awesome)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!!!  
WE LOVE YOU!!




Today is also my niece, Elliott Grace's 2nd birthday!  David was blessed with one of the BEST birthday gifts of all, 2 years ago - his daughter, Elliott.  Elliott and Vienne were very close cousins.  Vienne was in love with Elliott from the moment she was born!  Vienne LOVED babies and took it upon herself to always be the helper and nurturer to the babies around her.  During the visits we shared with Elliott over the year and a half that Vienne knew her, Vienne was always by Elliott's side wanting to help her and play with her.  Vienne always amazed us with her patience and tolerance for little ones.  

Elliott, you are a passionate and loving girl.  You are so bright and full of life.  I love watching your friendship grow with your little cousin, Ivy and I just know you two will be the best of friends.  I also treasure your full clinging hugs and the rare moments you stop to snuggle on my lap.  You are a gift, sweet girl!

Here are some sweet photos of these two precious little cousins ~

(meeting Elliott for the very first time - she was about 4 weeks old and Vienne had just turned 3)

(look at Vienne's neck!!  I LOVE her.  She is straining so hard to be still and careful!  This was the first time she ever got to hold a baby and she took the job VERY seriously.  And, that was ALL she wanted to do ALL day.  Seriously.)

(I think Elliott is about 8 months here and Vienne was a few months shy of 4 years.  Still just a baby, but Vienne was insistent upon playing with her.)

(exactly 1 year ago on Elliott's 1st Birthday.  You can tell how excited Vienne was to be there.  Always always always in love with her little cousin.)

(these last few photos were taken just a few weeks before Vienne left us.  This was the last time that Elliott got to play with her big girl cousin.  It was a very sweet and special time)

(check out these next photos...Vienne is always holding Elliott's hand, patiently walking beside her, caring for her.  Melts my heart.  This is EXACTLY who Vienne was.  May we ALL be such a friend as she was.)

(Elliott's face!!  Crack up!)

(one of my MOST favorites of all.  *tears*)

 
(my other most favorite of the two of them.  I think they are sharing secrets and promises.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIOTT GRACE!!!
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH, SWEET GIRL!!






4 comments:

  1. I love the picture when she is holding the baby. It really feels like that I can sense her little personality through these pictures. She looks like a sweet yet a strong little lady. Looking forward to seeing more pictures and hearing more stories of her. Sending you a big loving virtual hug. Be

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my, tears here...Happy Birthday to such special people in your lives. Vienne is an inspiration. To be so very loving, kind, and... I have no words to describe how seeing these photos makes me feel. Her love for her family is so pure, so true. What a gift, what a treasure, your little girl Vienne is. -kristen

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am so drawn to your Vienne. There is truly something unique and undoubtedly special about her. I imagine that those who love her and who mourn her and who ache for her loss, saw the video you shared and were moved to joy by the life force she was.

    I try to imagine the gut wrenching pain you must feel. I cannot. I know the loss of my brother, we were so young. I know the loss of parents. I watched mine. I vividly remember the look on my mama's face when she came home without him. Just this year, some 30 years later, Mom and I were looking at our Santa picture from the last Christmas with him and the first without. It is as if all the light and life went out of my big sister.

    I guess I continue to share these things because we are on the other side. It was agony getting here. My mama was never the same, but she was happy, she is happy. She loves her life and her 4 remaining kids and her 8 grand-kids. I want so much for you to know that it won't always be this way.

    But until you get there, I will be here praying for your peace, your joy, your forward momentum. And when that all fails I will pray Vienne finds you when you need her most.

    She is glorious!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh my aching heart. This year was so hard to celebrate Elliott's birthday, with out her ever so loving cousin :(.
    I haven't seen some of those photos. I think that is the only photo of David with Vienne. It is so sweet. And I just love all of the ones with Vienne and Elliott holding hands. She was such a caring and sweet cousin to her.
    We miss her so much. :(

    ReplyDelete