Lori's

Yesterday was Lori's birthday.

Lori was our first child!

She is a very important part of this very large family

and a very important part of this very beautiful family.

I wrote about Lori on her birthday last year in this post and visiting there will show lots of pictures and tell lots of stories about her life 'through the years' so I'll just post a few pictures here

and talk about what's been going on in her life during the past year.  First of all, shortly after her last birthday she got a job at Target where she hired in to Apparel and Accessories.  Even as a new hire she 'owned' her department and was named Team Leader of the Month in November.

She continued to enjoy her job and do a great job!  In late May, as the first warm weather set in, her department sold almost $10,000 in swimwear in one day!  When asked how she did it her answer was that the items had to be on the floor and properly displayed in order to be sold.  She claimed she made 20,000,000 trips to the fitting room that day to keep everything stocked and not piled up where it couldn't be seen but I think she exaggerated - but not too much.  She actually walked 13 miles at work that day.  Here is a group of district leaders recognizing her for outstanding performance.

During the year she captained a couple of projects like making sure people filled out their daily sales logs and training new employees for soft lines.  Evidently she did a good job too because in October she was promoted to Guest Services Team Leader where her goal is to create a genuinely positive experience for every guest.  This promotion came with a huge drawback because she won't be able to join us in Gulf Shores this year but she loves her job and understands its priorities.

Last year, however, Lori was able to visit Gulf Shores over the holidays with her huge extended family

And in early May she visited her brother and her mom and dad in Georgia for a few days and we all had a wonderful time.  Lori tried her hand at golf where she really has a natural ability,

took a late night ghost tour (guided by the spirit formerly know as Prince),

took a daytime horse drawn historical tour,

and enjoyed dinners and refreshments with one of her brothers.

In June, she and Marcus came to Indiana for a weekend.  They visited daughter Emily in South Bend and spent the last night of the weekend with us in Michigan City.

It was a good year all around up until about a week later when Lori was coming home from work.  A very heavy rainstorm had just passed through her path and her car suddenly, unexpectedly hydroplaned!  She fishtailed once and then again in the opposite direction until she slid off the road and overturned in a ditch far off the highway.  It was a terrifying experience for her and she ended up with bruises and abrasions but no broken bones.  Her car was totaled but she ended up with a new (to her) car that she loves.

So that about sums up Lori's busy and eventful year but there's so much more to say about her.  First of all, she has a great sense of humor and is so much fun to be around!  I mentioned that she had a natural golf ability but everybody has a bad shot once in a while and here she is after one of her worst.

 And she's smart and logical but not in just the cerebral way.  She has great common sense and incredible insight and actually has a rare psychic ability.

  And she's sweet, understanding, helpful, practical and very hard working.  She's a devoted mom

and wife (here she is with her three favorite boys)

and she's a wonderful daughter!  She's been a blessing from the day she was born - always helpful and always responsible with her siblings.  With a firstborn like her it's no wonder we went on to have five more kids.  So, Lori, we could not love you more or be more proud of you!  We're so glad you're part of our lives and we're wishing you a late but heartfelt happy birthday and a year ahead filled with everything your heart desires!