Adventurous Alicia

I was inspired today to spotlight my daughter-in-law Alicia. I have been blessed with 2 wonderful daughers-in-law. I guess I did something right if my boys grew up and picked such great women to marry! Alicia was so young when I first met her. She was a little shy and I wondered if she could hold her own with my strong personality son Kendall. I needn't have worried. She matches Kendall point for point when it comes to his adventurous spirit and unstoppable energy. Kendall always loved his social life and Alicia has jumped right in creating friendships and occasions to be with those they enjoy. This past summer she began preparing and planning a big Halloween party that they have been wanting to have since last year. She comes over one day with little treats she made to test and see if they would work for her party. This was in July! I loved her enthusiasm and her determination not to let this Halloween go by without their big bash. So for weeks now, she has collected ideas and tried them out and carefully shopped the discount stores for decorations, food and other ideas. It has been fun as she shares her finds with me. I love that she includes me in her excitement. So, imagine my horror (and I don't mean the kind you laugh about later when you realize the icky goo you stuck your hand in at the haunted house was really just wet spaghetti...), when Kendall calls me on Friday as he rushed home to his sweet wife. She of course, was busy hanging up decorations for the big Halloween bash, when she fell. The verdict, a broken arm. To make it worse, it has a chip and she will need surgery! I am sure in the moment she was upset, and distraught at being hurt while by herself with Carson and another child she babysits. I know it was very painful too. What amazes me though is that it did not diminish her enthusiasm one bit for her big ghostly bash! On Saturday, she calls me to see if we are up to having them over to decorate pumpkins etc for Halloween! What? Are you kidding me? How can you even stand up straight with all the pain killers in your body right now? She hasn't even gotten her surgery or her cast yet! Is it the energy of youth that envelops her to drive forward? Or, is it a determination to keep going and have fun along the way that moves her to push through the challenges life offers? "Enjoy the journey" could be her motto. She's a doer...a goer...and that makes her a great mother! One of my favorite things about Alicia is her amazing zest for motherhood. She truly never tires of playing ring around the rosy or chasing Carson around the house saying "where's Carson?" when it is obvious to all he is RIGHT THERE! haha When Carson laughs, it only seems to light the fire in her to see how much more she can get him to laugh. He is truly a lucky boy to have a mom who would rather be with him than anywhere else in the world....unless his daddy is around of course....ahem...that was for Kendall's sake. =)
So Alicia, with all the love a mother can have for a daughter, I send you my appreciation and admiration for all of who you are. I hope this brings a smile to your face as you try to figure out how not to pick up that precious baby of yours for the next few weeks! You are amazing and beautiful and the most excellent person to be Kendall's wife and Carson's mommy. I love you!

Here is a slide show of some of my favorite pictures of Alicia.




A quick list of Alicia's favorite things:

Favorite color: pink

Favorite time of year: spring

Favorite music: slow rock

Favorite scripture: 1 John 4:14-19

Favorite part of being a mom:

Watching him laugh and playing with him.

Favorite quality in Kendall:

He helps me do things I couldn't do before.

Favorite vacation: camping in the mountains

Biggest time waster: Sitting on my butt watching TV.

Most happy when: My family's happy.

What do you enjoy doing with friends:

Entertain them and play games at my house.