Before there was Ben.

I absolutely love these two pictures of our very young family. The first was taken just after Rae was born and was sent out to announce her birth with the words "Straight to our arms from heaven above... Another little girl to love" written in my mother's beautiful handwriting on the back. We all look so happy to have another sister. To this day, if you ask each one of the girls which sister is their favorite, we would all probably answer Rae. It's not because she has this gorgeous long straight hair that every girl wants, or because she looks good in almost every photo taken, but she is best friends with all of us- no matter our time zone or current struggles. I love my other sisters too. Soon we will be in Utah, Texas, Hawaii, and Maryland. I miss them dearly. With Ben, it no longer has so much a Ya-Ya feel, but he is amazing.

As I look at the pictures, we haven't changed much. I still have crazy wavy hair. Clarissa still has tiny arms and legs. Emma has lost her curls and Miriam no longer has casts on her legs. But I imagine as all of us girls conference-called not too long ago and we laughed about those people we will make fun of till we die, (in a kind make-fun-of type way) we all had the same smiles on our faces.








One more thing. Derwood, Maryland is beautiful in the fall. Well, all year round actually. But take a look at the the colors.
Fraley Farm just off Bowie Mill... oh the Seminary memories.