.: The definition of SWEET!

I can remember as if it were yesterday every little detail about welcoming our angel, miracle girl into the world!

4 years ago Kathryn Noel Linkous came to our family ending 8 long, very painful years of waiting. The tears still flow freely as I think back to that moment when I first cast my eyes on her sweet face. The nurse carried her over to the scale and then to the warmer and the whole time my body just ached to hold her and kiss her and you know what? Things haven't changed one bit after 4 yrs.

Every time she opens her mouth to say something or flashes her adorable innocent sweet smile complete with Daddy's dimples it makes me just want to gobble her up and freeze that moment in time. Her hugs and kisses are to die for and really when you "try" to sum up what makes Ryn Ryn, the best way is -pure sweetness!!!! Not only is she the perfect daughter, always doing her best to obey and listen but she is also the best big sister. As much as we love and adore Elle and Eden we know without a doubt why Ryn was the first to come! I sometimes will sneak into her room after she is asleep and just kneel down at her bedside and allow myself to soak in every feature of her sweet face and burn that image into my heart and mind. RYN I LOVE YOU!

As wonderful as it is to celebrate and remember the birth of a child, for me it is bittersweet. It is also a reminder of the cold, sometimes cruel fact that they are growing up--which equals less of a need for Mom and Dad and the drawing nearer of them entering the far too often mean, unfair world of life.

Ryn Happy Birthday angel! Thank you for coming to our family and into my heart. You were the first baby to arrive and make me feel whole as a man and allowed me to experience the indescribable joys of being not just a father but your father! You completed our love and to this day you continue to do so, every minute of every day! The true miracle is not just that you came but that God loved and trusted me enough to be your Daddy, the Daddy of an angel!

Mom here :). I have to take my Grandma and Grandpa Ellis' words and, "I say Ditto, all the way!" to what Dad wrote. Christmas is forever changed for me since you came to be my angel. That whole Christmas season when I was pregnant with you was the most powerful I have ever experienced . I hope someday you might be lucky enough to be expecting a baby around Christmas. Everything was magical. Everything held more personal meaning for me. I thought every day about Mary, Jesus' mother. I thought about how she must have felt during the last few weeks before His birth. How humbled she must have been, how anxious, how excited, how happy--completely full of joy. I know she must have felt that way because that's how I felt. I also sang every Christmas hymn with even more joy and rejoicing than ever before. Even though I had only waited for 8 years for you to come--the world had waited since the fall of Adam for its Savior--I knew the praises I wanted to sing (actually I was singing almost every minute) and shout every minute of every day for you were as fervent and sincere as those of the heavens and earth when Christ was born at last. And my praises and thanks to Heavenly Father for this gift of His most precious Son were greater than ever before because I knew that gift would make possible keeping you, my precious angel, forever. I pray and strive every day to be worthy of such priceless gifts. Thank you for coming to me--to us. So very many people prayed and waited and watched with us. Thank you for making my life, and every other life you touch, magical and happy and beautiful.

We had a fun family party this year--bowling :). We had gone this summer in Houston with my parents and Ryn was jumping for joy the whole time, so we knew she'd have fun. The automatic bumpers and a slide for the girls' balls made it tough for Kevin and Ryan to beat their scores.