Happy birthday Family!

October is a huge birthday month in my family and I just want to do a post on my family members celebrating this month.


1. Lily May is the 8th child in our family. She was born on October 4, 1979. I always remember this day because it is one of my best friend’s birthday too and it’s our sister-in-law’s (Brooke) and my cousin in Scotland (Lisa Blair’s) birthday. I was 11 years old when Lily was born, I took care of her a lot. She and I have become very close because I took care of her so much when she was young. She now has a great husband, Shawn and 4 dang cute kids- Gavin, Dallin, Maile, and Brooks. I love you, Lily. Lily is named after my mother, Lilias, and her grandmother Lilias Bellingham, and a few other generations long. Lily wasn't too excited as a child to be her mother's namesake. I remember when that changed. When Me and my sister, Yvonne, went to Scotland in 1993 to again see our grandmother and mom's siblings, I came back and told Lily all about her grandma and how funny and wonderful she was and how lucky Lily was to be given that name. She seemed to catch on after that. You are the best Lily, or as Don likes to refer to you lovingly, Slog. :-)




2. This is my Mom, Lilias, today (Oct. 7th) is her birthday. She is a very young 63 today. My Mom and Dad came to South Carolina recently to be with me and Joni and we had a great time. I was thinking that I don’t ever remember a time where I had both my Mom and Dad without any of the other family around. I mean, I love my family, but it was just a special circumstance where I got to have them all to myself and I love them both so much. My mother is a Scottish lassie from Falkirk, Scotland. She used to dance the highland fling and catch every man’s eye in town. She is a very good Mom and the older I get the more I respect her unique set of challenges to be where she is today. My dad caught her eye and her altogether, and they’ve been married now for 44 years.



3. This is Yvonne (#2 in our family). Her birthday is October 10th. She is two years older than me and is someone truly special to me. When you’re close in age, you may not always be close but Yvonne and I have always had a pretty good relationship. Sure, we fought at times growing up- but who doesn’t? The older I got, the more I wanted to stay close to her. She was the first person in my family who I trusted and “came out” to and she loved and accepted me anyway. She and I have a lot in common. One is that we’re both very musical both vocally and having played in the high school Symphonic band and Orchestra at Mountain View. She really hates to be talked about but she is one of the smartest people in our whole family by far. She got a music scholarship to Weber State University and later graduated with her Bachelors in Respiratory Therapy and then later her MBA from University of Phoenix. She is an excellent mother of two to Malin, and A.J. and is one of my best friends on earth. Love you, Yvonne and happy birthday on the 10th.


4.Don is 4 years younger than I am. He, along with my brother Ben and I, used to pal around the neighborhood playing anything and everything we could find. We used to play this thing where I was Jim (don’t laugh), Ben was Joe, and Don was Bobby and we were three brothers who did everything from hunting to going to restaurants together and whatever else popped into our brains (the imagination of youth). Don is married to Rae and they have a daughter, Belle, who is so cute. Sure love ya, Don and happy birthday on the 11th.