Yesterday was Lane’s birthday!

Our growing boy is eight years old!!

I have no idea how that happened!

What a great photo I have here! Did you notice?! Lane’s front teeth are finally growing in!!

Following tradition, Lane chose the menu for all three meals yesterday, and also chose what he wanted for dessert!

We started the day with chocolate donuts, and freshly squeezed orange juice!

For lunch we had chili soup and cornbread muffins!

Grant made the chili soup for us, and I made the cornbread muffins!! (I also made some banana walnut chocolate chip muffins for later!)

Our three favorite people came up in the late afternoon to help us celebrate!

We had a huge breakfast buffet for dinner and then it was time to open presents!!

Lane was CLEAR excited!

Once all the boxes were opened everyone was looking at everything, and I said “Oh, no, honey! I think we forgot one! Let me count! Yep! We did! Remember that other one, honey?!” Blake played along and said he would run and grab it from it’s hiding place!

SO, so funny – NONE of the kids thought anything of it, because I have forgotten gifts SO many times. Ha! One year I found a whole bag of Christmas gifts in the garage. In April!

Blake returned with this – and surprised not only Lane, but everyone!

Lane’s current bike is a hand me down from Chad, which was handed down to Chad from a wonderful family who had two girls! Yes, it is pink! And has had parts replaced on it from other broken bikes out there!

Well, I would say that was a win!

Time for CAKE!

Even with working most of the day, Addie Mae pulled off exactly what Lane asked for!

Of course I have to include more photos of this adorable little man!

The boys all ran outside in the fierce wind to launch Lane’s new rocket and use the sling shot!

Then they were thoroughly frozen, so they settled on playing one of his new games – Ticket to Ride!

G-Pa and Eliza gave our little man Clyde Strength his bath!

And that was our birthday party in a nutshell!!

Except for endless fellowship and laughter as we had a “big circle day” around the kitchen table!!

Lane Stevan, we love your huge heart, your do-it-myself visionary spirit, your facial expressions, your mechanical mind, how you see all things as black or white, your cuddly side, and watching you pour grace over your little brother and sister all day long everyday.

You are a precious gift, Lane Stevan!! And we are SO thankful that the Lord brought you not only into this world, but into our family!

Happy, happy birthday, Lane!!

*There’s another new post below, with news about our move!