Dearest Mackenzie,

Happy Birthday !!!!! I can't believe your 17 today. It seemed like just yesterday you were born. You were our first baby born in Moses Lake and I had a new doctor. I was slightly nervous and very anxious. Your due date was June 5th. Aunt Pauline and I were due on the same day. She was having a boy, and I was having a girl. The doctor induced me three days early and Christopher came 8 days late...(You know how I love to win.) Mackenzie you were a beautiful baby. You had a small perfectly shaped head, the perfect amount of hair with a little curl, and big beautiful blue eyes.

I was so excited to have another girl. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys...but there is something about a daughter. The only one more excited was your big sister Danielle. She was absolutely positive I was bringing home a life size doll. I had to fight her for a chance to hold and feed you and for a 5 year old she was pretty good.... She never grew tired of you and would hold you until I wouldn't let her anymore. Needless to say you got plenty of attention. Jordan and Quinn would stop by occasionally to make you smile and have a hug or a kiss and dad loved holding you in the night when he came in from work. You were a good sleeper and a content baby.

I loved dressing you and Danielle alike!!!!! You brought great joy to all of us even if you were a little accident prone. You broke your leg on the trampoline when you were 18 months and spent 6 long weeks in a cast. You broke it again when you were 3 (on the trampoline again....) I know, I know we should have learned our lesson.



You started dancing when you were three years old and you and I have been doing that together now for 14 years. You had long beautiful curly hair and an infectious smile and you've always made me laugh.



You are a good friend and loyal to the people you love. Your close friends are still the same as the friends you had when you were very little and that says alot about someone. You are fun to be around and the life of the party.











You love your family and they love you. You stick up for them, you defend them, you support them. You and Danielle have grown to look so much alike, but you also act and dance alike and it has been fun to watch your talent blossom over the years.. You have the same sense of humor as your brother Jordan, but you are most like your brother Quinn. You are content with yourself and you tell it like is. Right is right and wrong is wrong and you would never pretend differently to make yourself popular or liked.






You are smart, beautiful, artistic, humble, and witty. You follow the commandments and always put the Lord first. You have a strong conscious and a strong testimony. You are extremely talented and very creative. You work and are responsible. You defend me and help me in all my responsibilities and most importantly you make me laugh over and over again.





You are the reason I do what I do and I've loved (almost) every minute we spend together.




And did I mention you are a FABULOUS Tyra....(always),







I'm so proud of you, and feel very honored and blessed to by your mother.

Love you lots,

Mom

(P.S. I couldn't get the scanner to work so adorable pictures of you as a baby are coming.....)