Sweet 16

Happy 16th Birthday our sweet Ella B!

With over 8 BILLION people in this world, God gave us YOU...the most perfect daughter for US!  Sixteen marks the beginning of some remarkable freedoms. We're confident you will embrace those freedoms with joy, grace and discipline.  As your world continues to unfold, always stay true to you and nurture the spark that makes you shine.  And, as you figure out who you are, what your future holds, and chase your dreams, know that we're right here cheering louder than anyone. Always remember sweet girl...you are already enough, deeply loved by God, and forever cherished by us.

Your smile is our light, your laughter is our happiness, and your love is our everything.  

We thank God every day for blessing us with a daughter as wonderful as you.  

Enjoy your special day!  

We love you always and forever, Mom and Dad  

P.S.  Your crown was made for you with love by mom using clothes you had outgrown as a tot.  It's been a part of our Montessori/Waldorf birthday tradition through the years.  This crown isn's just for the party, but for the memory box;)  The birthday ring and annual photos mark the passage of time...walks around the sun.  

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8263750636378117994/7400661431880695069 

G.0.A.T.

I KID you not...we now have a four-day-old, Spanish Boer twin GOAT weighing in at four pounds.  What he lacks in weight, he makes up in spunk.  It all started with a simple text from a neighbor looking for someone to bottle feed an orphaned goat and ended with this mother/daughter duo taking on the every-two-hour feed/potty challenge.  We got this...*yawn/wink*

Ella took his naming seriously and for the past couple of days, she's been searching her heart and observing his spirit to give him the identity he deserves.  The result:  

Junot Tomas Broussard!

The story behind the name...Ella met an amazing fiddler named Keith Junot at the Fiddler's Frolics in Hallettesville when she was maybe eight years old.  They developed an instant bond and--by night fall--he surprised her and invited her on stage to play a cajun song or two with his headliner band.  He stayed in contact with us and constantly imparted his musical wisdom, shared stories, provided guidance, and promoted Ella every chance he got.  

Years later, Keith was diagnosed with cancer.  At that moment, I began to see the real impact his friendship had on her.  They/we chatted often, she visited him when she could, brought him his favorite snacks, and even donated the money from a gig to help when he needed it most. 

In 2022, Keith was inducted into the Fiddlers Hall of Fame as one of the Greatest Of All Time fiddlers.  After the ceremony, he came up to her and told her he had the perfect blue Barkus Berry fiddle he wanted to gift her--and he did.  Not long afterward, Keith passed away, but he stayed in touch until the bitter end.  His earthly struggles are gone, but his spirit lives on in little Junot!

Tomas means twin (and is the name of our dear friend's heavenly son) and well, Broussard means "man of the brush;)" 

Can a mother forget the [kid] at her [udder]
and have no compassion on the [kid] she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 

Isaiah 49:15

#wearefamily