Happy Birthday, Jana!

This is a couple of days late, but since Jana does blogs for people's birthdays, I thought someone should do one for her. JaNae had a very nice post, but didn't have a lot of pictures with her, so here goes . . .

I remember about 30 years and 6 months ago my mom told me she was going to have a baby. I had just turned 13 and I was in the 8th grade. I already had 4 younger brothers and sisters and I didn't think I needed one more. So, I told my mom that I was not going to tend this baby and that this baby could be Stacey's problem. But, somehow, that all changed the day my mom and dad brought Jana home from the hospital. I remember holding her, and my mom said to me "I thought this was going to be Stacey's baby," and I don't remember exactly what I said but something like "I think I have changed my mind." Ever since then I have felt like Jana's half sister/half mom. I remember spending a lot of time with Jana. When she was little, I remember putting her in the seat on the back of my mom's bike and taking her on bike rides. I remember when I moved into an apartment my second year of college (about 1 mile down the street from my parents' house) I would call home at night and talk to Jana and my roommates couldn't figure out what I had to talk about with a 5-year old for so long. As she got older and I moved a little farther away, I always liked to have Jana (and her friends) come and stay with me - although I don't remember letting her and her friends come and stay with me so they could go dancing and stay out late but she said (in one of her blog posts) that I did. And, I can't think about Jana without thinking about Nicci, Steph, JaNae, and Carol and all of the "fun" (mom would probaby call it trouble) they managed to get in - which I am sure most of us don't know half of what they really did! Whenever Jana is around there is always something fun happening (except for those ornery years - but only ornery at home - between the ages of 13-18)! I actually think Jana is responsible for me and Dru getting married since she told Dru at Sunday dinner one day that he was pathetic and then walked away from the table.

Yes, Jana turning 30 does make me feel old since I remember the day she was born like it was just a few years ago, but I am so proud of the person that she has grown up to be. She is still the "life of the party" and is such a great mom to her cute kids! I think during this last year, she has proven to all of us that she has more strength, courage, and faith, than we ever thought any of us had! I think I speak for our whole family when I say that our family definitely would not be the same without Jana, and even though she is the baby of our family, she is a great example to all of us and we all look up to her and are so proud of her!!!! So, happy birthday Jan, and I hope "30" is a GREAT year!!!!!!! I love you!

This is one of the only baby pictures I could find - I guess when you are the

youngest of six kids you don't get your picture taken much!

This was when Jana was probably about 5 months old.

Jana was looking at this picture yesterday and said she didn't think
O looked like her, but she decided maybe he did look like her - I think so!

This was a picture of Jana during a dance recital with the famous

"LaVaun Turner School of Dance." The funny thing about this picture is that

she didn't do much dancing and cried during the whole thing - the dance was

to the song "If You're Happy and You Know It!"

(At least she didn't have to do "I've Got a Doggy with a Long Tail!")

I dont' think there was a date on this picture, but it is probably

kindergarten or 1st grade.

I had to use this picture because it is SOOOO NOT Jana -
I doubt we will be seeing E in a dance costume like this with make-up
and big bangs any time soon!


I am guessing this picture is probably 3rd or 4th grade.



Hey, Jan, can I take E to Lagoon when she is about 10 years old and dress her
up like a sleezy saloon girl with a gun and have her picture taken?



Sorry Jan and Nic - I didn't find very many funny pictures so I just had
to use this one - I'll call it "Bathing Beauties!"





This is a picture of Jan with our sisters Leslie and Stacey in Holland when my
parents took Jana and Leslie to pick up Stace after her mission.
Does anyone notice a missing sister??? Oh, yeah, that would be me -
I was home working.
Jana went to Europe twice before she graduated from high school, and
I haven't ever been - but don't worry I'm not bitter!!!




This was Jana's first day of 8th grade. Nice tan legs, but wasn't it a little hot
the first day of school to wear a long-sleeved flannel outfit?



"Glam Jan"
Jana loves this picture - jk :-)




This is Jana's senior picture, but she didn't like it much and had
Carol take another picture - but I couldn't find any copies of the other picture
except the one in the frame hanging on the wall.




One of our "sister pictures" at Jana and Jeremy's wedding.

Jan with E, O, and one of the famous bunnies that was proud to be

one of the only pets this family will ever have - even if it was just for a few weeks.

Happy Birthday!