Sunny's birthday is today. It was almost a normal day, as they usually are when you have eight children. This is one of the things she did today:
Wrestle children while she watches Sage's football game! She is a pro! She has a very stiff neck, but it barely slowed her down. We also went out to Thaiphoon with them, Lindsey and Harmon, Rosemary, and Doug, Marti and Haley who happened to be in town. I failed to get a picture, however.
Sunny in a most amazing person. For some reason I can't locate my easily accessible baby pictures of Sunny (I suspect she stole them.) She was an incredibly beautiful baby with so much hair. I will insert it when I find a picture. But before I say much more about Sunny here is a little step back in time of a little of her childhood:
With Adam about 1 year old.
Same set of pictures.
About 2 1/2 years
Maybe 3 years old.
About 4 1/2
Always the capable big sister she is 5 here.
School picture 6 years
10 years and taller than Adam
Pretty, huh?
I think this was Jr. High graduation.
Soccer at age 13 or 14
Not sure of my date on these two.
Pose with your brother before the Girls League Formal.
This was before the Debutant Ball with Chris Gladwell.
Fast forward now with five kids--Riley is the baby!
Some of my first digital pictures. Hickerson with five kids and a tent. Sunny was a trooper.
Thanksgiving.
Maybe I better start on some of the things I love so much about Sunny.
1. Sunny is a champ at smiling even when she is knee deep in trials. She will shed a few tears, then smile and jump into setting things right with more will and energy and positive attitude than anyone I know.
2. Sunny is persistant. She wants what is best for her family and works hard to achieve it. We are so glad that persistance lead to Steve joining our family. They are a great couple and work hard to keep this family functioning well. Sunny brought home a quote about th "Lioness at the Gate" from Relief Society. Steve remarked to me that is what Sunny truly is. You better not mess with those she loves, for she will protect them in every way she knows how for as long as it takes.
The family four years ago.
3. Sunny is so pretty. She keeps herself in great shape with actual exercise and working out as well as the workout she gets from chasing children. She is so current on style and beauty. Sunny's keen sense of style is evident in her home, her decor, her children's attire, and in her own clothing and care. She has always stood out.
4. Of course, Sunny is an awesome mother. Here she is with newborns, Sam and Charlie. Can you believe they are children #six and #seven! I knew when she was a child that she would have many children. She was always so good with them and showed such love. She has loved each one of them so completely and individually. Though she has a houseful, she manages to make each know they are very special to her. I have been there with each newborn and she was definitely in love. She has been a completely dedicated, loving mother.
Charlie and Sam are an added handful...
But there is always room for one more as Baby Grace joins the family!
And once again Sunny's heart unconditionally embraces one more.
5. Sunny manages to do more than just survive in the face of overwhelming demands. She throws parties, travels with all eight children, hosts many wonderful dinners, fills her house with homemade goodies, caters to her children's special needs, attends all events, and keeps them all looking beautifully put together and loved, to name just a few things. We once called her "Wonder Woman," and she definitely lives up to the title.
Halloween with all the darling regalia.
6. Sunny shows her love by being there. She is in the middle. She is with those she loves. She plays with, studies with, corrects, trains, teaches, exemplifies, defends, protects, enjoys those she loves. She has always been one of the smartest people I know and she passes that on to her children, both through the genes and in how she teaches them.
6. Like being persistent, Sunny plays through the pain. When she was little we could count on her daily accounting of all her "owies". Then she would run off and play as hard as ever. She still gets some pretty big "owies" but it still does not get her down. She rises above each challenge and overcomes. Here she does Disneyland with a baby in a pouch and a bad foot and all the needs of the other children as well.
7. Sunny is a wonderful wife as well as mother. She is totally dedicated to Steve as he is to her. She supports him in all his necessary travel with his work and his work via phone and computer at all hours of the day and night. She values all his help and advice and is truly his working partner. She shows her love for him by the care and attention she gives him, even though she is so engulfed in kid issues around her. They even manage to find time to spend alone together now and then.
Sunny finds individual time for the older kids, as with Tristan here...
...even while she is engrossed with the littles,
8. Sunny has always been an athlete. She still rides bikes, coaches soccer teams, swims, maintains disciplined workout shedules and plays hard with her children. She is a fun mom. She rarely just sits on the sidelines. She went bunji jumping once and put several younger "macho" men to shame with her boldness and fearlessness. Once she signed up for a marathon but did not have time to train. When she went to observe, she decided to just see if she could do it. She not only finished the marathon, but had a very good time, beating many who had trained for months.
With Sage, fun at the beach.
9. Sunny is a very good friend. She learned long ago that she needed to be a friend to have friends. She learned to reach out first and extend herself to others and they would also embrace her. Consequently, she has many friends. She kind and thoughtful to others and quickly comes to the aid of someone in need. Likewise, she has always been a great, loving sister to her family. She has performed countless acts of love and service to others in the family, sometimes asked and sometimes unseen. She was my right hand when she was a child. Her younger brothers and sister looked on her as a second mother. Many look up to her and love her for her natural generosity. That was a trait she exhibited as a child, which is rare in children, but has continued as an adult.
Sam and Sunny have always had a special bond.
With the "littles" at our house after a week of mostly Disney, when the others were on a different trip
10. Sunny loves the gospel of Jesus Christ and applies it in her life. She understands its principles and strives to communicate them to her family. What joy we had with Sunny and Stephen when they were sealed in the temple! It was such a blessing to have all eight children in the temple together when the three youngest were sealed to their family.
Sunny is truly the Queen of hearts.
I love you Sunny and know that this will be a wonderful year for you. Happy Birthday, Sunny!
