The year of the grads!

We've gone to a few graduations this spring. 

Starting with Mandy's graduation from the college.

So gosh darn proud of her! Who else could pull off being a straight A student, while working, being an amazing mother to her three girls still at home, one daughter who got married, two sons on missions and of course still manage to be one fantastic grandma!?!?!

We love you Mandy. 

What a great example you set for your girls.

The "three little girls" who as you will see in the following photos are not so little anymore...they all have become beautiful, amazing young women.

It was soooooo much fun taking  "a few" pictures of them.

Kristen graduated grade 12 this year. She was nothing short of stunning in her grad dress. Could have taken pictures of her all day!

 (We let Kade sneak into a few of them too;)

Emily was also asked to grad and looked equally beautiful. Though not quite as enthusiastic about taking uber amounts of photos, I was more than happy to twist her arm and capture how lovely she looked. Em is one of the most gorgeous, talented, holydoodle smart, and seriously hilarious girls I've ever met. Love her to pieces and have thoroughly enjoyed watching her grow into her own.

How fun is it that BOTH their grad dates already have mission calls?!?!

made kristi take a pic with her old pal, cuz i thought her dress ws the prettiest of all

Then last night Jaci graduated grade 9. (And I got to get my camera out again!!!)

 I can't even start to explain how much I love this girl!?!?!

 The first time I remember going to the Bretzke house (before Ben and I were even dating) Jaci was only a couple months old! Little did i know that oen day my own babies would have that little round head, and would adore their Aunt Jaci more than anything! (McKye just saw this picture and now is BEGGING to go to Jaci's house!) I teared up more than once during her grad, every time I looked over at her actually. The little girl, with her cropped blonde hair and knowing eyes who my high school boyfriend lugged around on his hip being the always their big brother he still is today, has (as cheesy as it sounds) totally blossomed. She received the award for excellence in education last night, and as they described her ability to really give it her all and try so hard even when things don't come the easiest to her, her gift for perceiving the needs of others and how she's turned that into a kind of warm leadership that truly just makes others love her, it was SO Jaci. Everywhere i go, if people know Jaci, they love her...not just in a surface popularity way, but she somehow elicits a sincere respect and just genuine fondness for her. "Oh! Jaaaaaci." they say with a smile on their face, "I know her." I'm so lucky to have had this girl in my home as much as she has been, helping and influencing my kids...cuz I sure do hope they turn out just like her!

Well this was suppose to be a quick post so Alli could see some pictures...                                                                  but the more I looked at these pictures of my beautiful sisters in law, the "three little girls" who held onto my own grad dress with their pudgy toddler hands the more introspective I become.         I can still here their little voices saying "ChowSEe's here!"behind the door as they fumbled to open it. Their three blonde heads, attacking me with simultaneous hugs.           And now it's MY kids clamouring at the door when they come to our house. It feels like yesterday, I was the one posing on the temple lawn, excited to go off to university, anxious to find out where Ben would go on his mission. Time flies. Before you know it Kristen you'll be finding a babysitter so you can come to my kids grads. And wiping away tears, because you'll know a little more about life and just like I was, you will be so moved as you see the sheer anticipation in their eyes, and you will know that life has even more to offer than you could possibly imagine. 

LOVE you Kristi, Emily & Jaci soooo mcuh!

Basically my grad date is pretty lucky he had such adorable sisters, cuz I'm pretty sure it was their cuteness that really "sealed the deal" and made me maryy this guy;)