We had Hannah's family birthday party on Sunday July 6th at Grandma and Grandpa Vincent's home. She's such a fortunate girl---she had 4 grandmas and 5 grandpas there!! Along with aunts, uncles and cousins.

This is the Ipod cake Jessi Cook made for her. Isn't it awesome?!?!?! It matches Hannah's green Ipod!! :)

This is Hannah reading the letter Lyle wrote to her. See down a few posts for a copy of the letter.


Daddy placing the ring on her finger.

Hannah and her lovely cousins, Elly and Erin


Noah, a.k.a. Joe Cool, Elly, Hannah, Erin and Grandpa Kime

My neices, Elly and Erin

Miss El

My other kid, Taylor

My nephew, Mason

Me and my man

My mama

Poor Elly--this was her favorite dress and she got nail polish on the sleeves so mom cut the sleeves off, made a sleeveless dress. She wanted the sleeves on!!!

Visit with the other Cutlers on Grandma Linda's birthday

Lyle--he slipped on his boots to go out and play ball with the kids. How silly he is!! :)

Mason Alexander!

Mason and Erin in our tree

Hannah in Daddy's hat

These are the invitations Hannah and I made for her slumber party.

4th of July Celebration

We went to the Pana 4th of July fireworks this year...as usual. Lucy went with us this year.

Lyle and me!!

Hannah and Lucy!

Lyle's Love Letter to Hannah

As you have read previously, Hannah turned 13 last weekend. Now that she has been getting "boy crazy", we decided it was time for the RING. The purity ring from her daddy. We didn't get her the typical purity ring because they were all cheesy looking. We found her one that she would love to wear until she's a woman. Pictures will come later, as Lyle will be giving it to her today at her party. But I wanted to share the letter he wrote to her to go with the ring. I thought he did an awesome job.



Hannah,

Well, you’re thirteen. And things are starting to change. My little girl is turning into a young woman; whether I want this to happen or not. The adolescent thoughts of your youth have given over to make-up, hair dryers, music and, gulp, boys. It is very humorous to think that my own gender has become my enemy. Now, you and boys and the mixing of you and boys are constantly on my heart.

I have a question slash request slash deal to ask of you. That question will come later; let’s build the suspense first.

God gave you to me. You are a gift. You are special and have value. There is no one else on this earth like you. Psalms says “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” God had you on His mind when He made you.

God has laid a wonderful and fearful task on me. I am to raise, protect, nourish, educate, correct and love……you. You have been given to me, for a short time, as a gift. You are a gift to cherish. And because I cherish you, I am weary of lending that gift to anyone else; including “the boys.” Unfortunately I know that I will someday be forced to release my gift to another man.

For now, you are mine. For now I refuse to share you with anyone else. For now I want to be the only man in your life. Our God is a selfish God. He wants us to want none other than Him. I feel the same about you. I want you to know that until you are married, I will not share you and I ask that you not lend yourself to another until that time. I am asking for purity.

Purity is a big word and means quite a bit. Purity is a righteous heart that is blameless before God. Purity is a clear conscience knowing of one’s fate. Purity is also not allowing your body to fall into sin. This purity entails not giving yourself to another man until you are married. God demands this purity as do I. God has given a special bond to men and women that is not to be shared until marriage.

Now for the question slash request slash deal:

I promise to love you unconditionally. I promise to be a constant in your life that will never leave you. I promise to be the example of the man you will choose to live the rest of your life with. Will you promise to stay true to God and myself, and save yourself for marriage? That’s the deal. I will stay true to you, you stay true to me. God promises never to leave us; I make the same promise to you. Save yourself and make a pure gift to your husband to be. That is my request.

Finally, I love you. In all its simplest form, I love you. No games or tricks. You need to do nothing to have my love. It is yours.


With all my heart,

Hannah's Birthday evening

Saturday was Hannah's 13th Birthday. I didn't get to see her much, as I had to work from 8:30 to 3 and by the time I got home, she and Lyle had already left for their concert. Lyle took Hannah to see Pillar, her favorite band!!! How cool was it that they were in Lincoln on her birthday?!?!?! Anyway, they had an awesome time together, came home deaf from the noise!!!!

While they were gone, Noah, Brock, Taylor and I went to see Wall-E. It was cute. Brock and Taylor spent the night so we had a little birthday party when Hannah got home.

Here's Hannah and her Daddy!!
Brock and Taylor Mammen with Hannah and Noah---I love all these kids like crazy!!!!

Hannah and best friend, Taylor
This was Hannah when they got home. She'd slept most of the way home (they got home around 10:30)
Taylor bought Hannah a card and duck-taped the envelope!!!

Hannah loves Shel Silverstein books so we got her a bunch of them for her birthday, as well as an Ann Frank movie she loves and another movie she loves--A Walk To Remember (family edited!!)

I had written Happy Birthday Hannah on her bathroom mirror with soap the night before so she'd see it first thing. (I think it's still there!)
I had put these signs all over the house for when she got up Saturday morning. They were on the TV, door, windows, in the fridge, in cabinets....everywhere! Saturday night, Taylor and I put them all on the porch so she'd see them when she got home.
Noah and his buddy, Brock---being cheezy!
Me and Miss Taylor
Me, acting like Hannah. No---she doesn't roll her eyes!! She looks at the ceiling!!!!