Happy Birthday Kelsey One, Truly One of a Kind

Twenty four years ago today in the early morning hours of a beautiful Calgary, AB morning following a mad dash to the Foothills Hospital our Kelsey was born number three of four children but the youngest of our daughters.  Danielle our redhead, Haley our blonde, and to round out our trio we needed a little brunette and thus Kelsey entered our home and our hearts.  In my minds eye I just have to think of things she's said or done to either cry or laugh out loud.  Being a father is such a wonderful blessing especially when your home is enriched by loving, obedient children that love you and one another.  Kelsey has always been this child with a quick 'I love you' on her lips or 'okay dad, whatever you say'.  Not to say that Kelsey does not have a mind of her own and hasn't been involved in her share of mischief but as I look back over the years I can't really remember anything but the good times.
Kelsey has always been know in our family as Kelsey-One which she named herself when very small.  When she was little and people would ask her which one of our daughters she was she would generally reply, "I'm the Kelsey One", and it stuck.  She truly is our Kelsey One!  Our one-in-a-million, our one-of-a-kind, and an important part of our family that makes us ONE.  To say that Kelsey is unique and a little quirky would be an understatement and we love so much this facet of her personality.  Her fascination with zombies and her god given writing talent have even started her on a path of possible stardom as she is penning a zombie romance novel.  Her mother and I have laid in bed at night and read this on several occasions and enjoyed it so much and can see our Kelsey in the pages as her personality shines through.  We have truly been blessed with bright, witty and loving children that have always filled our home with their laughter and now we not only have Kelsey but she has brought Bruce Chenuz into our home as well as their adorable little guy, Eli.  Their little family enriches our lives each and every day even though they are now living a bit further away the memories of times past keep them ever present in our hearts and minds.
If I could have a wish today it would be to hold my Kelsey-One as tight as we did when she was a baby and whisper in her ear like I've done so many times that I love her and always will.  With that not being possible I'll just have to settle for a FaceTime moment and wait for us to be reunited in the near future.  Kelsey, my heart is so full today with the thoughts of you growing up and the privilege it has been to be your father.  I just love seeing bits and pieces of your mom in you especially now that you are a mother.  It is so hard for me to believe that 24 years have come and gone but I truly look forward to the next 24 as long as I can have you in my life.  Your mom and I love you and your little family so much.
Enjoy some pictures of our Kelsey's journey below:

Kelsey Larsen, Born Calgary, AB 1988

Kelsey at the hospital following a wham-bam delivery.

Holly snuggling Kelsey so tight was what made her happy.

Uncle Rick and our girls

Make up just never was her friend.

Striking a Pose, always the funny little performer in her sister's productions.

Beautiful from the beginning!

Sisters at Halloween

Grandpa Larsen & Kelsey the horse lover.

The animal lover in the family.

Dance move, deciding Foo-Foo was not her thing.

Like I said, 'a little quirky'.

The Chenuz' Expecting - Hooray

Kelsey-One the Mom

Bruce and Kelsey - Christmas 2011

Eli, Kelsey and Edgar

Kelsey

I didn't think it would be possible for my daughters to get any more beautiful than they were when they were just little running around the house in dress up clothes, but I was wrong.  They all take after their mother and just get more and more beautiful each and every day both inside and out.  Kelsey is truly our one of a kind and we love her dearly!

August 19, 1981, A Life Changing Date

On the date noted above an individual was born in British Columbia, Canada that would have a profound impact on my life and the life of my family, but mostly in the life of our older daughter, Danielle.  Allan Dale Reay was born the youngest of a large family, grew up in Kamloops, BC and under no-less than divine intervention I'm sure, made his way to Edmonton, AB where he worked saving money for his mission to Leeds, England.  We knew little of this remarkable young man other than the quiet whispers between our daughters when they would see him at church about how handsome he was.  Even when he assisted with the construction of a room in our basement we didn't get to know him as well as we should have.  But arriving home from his mission he once again managed to find a reason to be in Edmonton, AB and most importantly attending church in our ward and on a day when Danielle was with us.  I have no doubts that a loving Heavenly Father leads the paths we take and that such important events as this do not happen by chance.  Holly and I noted that the two seemed destined for one another as they locked eyes and introductions were made.
I can't say that I didn't fall for Holly just as hard as Allan fell for Danielle but I didn't ask for her hand in marriage quite as quickly.  I will never forget that day and the way my heart seemed to stop when he asked for her hand in marriage as we rode back from a speaking assignment we both had in Spruce Grove.  The prospects of actually letting my daughter leave the nest and turn over responsibility for her safe keeping was more than I had expected and I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest.  Not in a bad way but in an "I don't know what to expect next" kind of way that I think most fathers go through when their daughters marry.  It didn't take me long though to recognize that in Allan I had a young man I could trust with anything but most importantly my daughter.  We had prayed that Danielle would find the man of her dreams that would also be the man of our dreams that would take her to the temple and help her raise a family in a home where peace abides and the gospel of Jesus Christ is important.  In Allan our prayers were answered and he continues to gladden our home and our lives.
As you can see from the pictures below, he is the additional son and brother to our family that makes us laugh and give us pause to reflect on what is really important.  I love this young man for who he is, what he has done and for the remarkable husband and father that he is.  I am proud to call him my son.

Wedding Announcement 2004

 

Wedding Day - Edmonton Alberta Temple

Don't Think I Want To Know What He's Saying

Wading in Logan Creek, a family tradition - Cold!!!

Cory's Birthday - Fun Having a New Older Brother

Or is it?

I'm Lost For Words???

Allan helping Emma learn to ride her bike.

Walker's first time shooting a rifle.

Lillian tries the slide in the arms of her dad. (Static Included)

Always the Joker

The Reay Family, Salt Lake City Temple Square 2012

Mr. & Mrs. Allan Reay - Summer 2012

Even though we still sometimes write Danielle Larsen when referring to our daughter, there is no doubt that this family is the 'Reay' of sunshine that makes us happy.  What a wonderful thing it is for us to have them so close and to have our beautiful grandchildren in our home on a regular basis.  As a father the greatest blessing is to have a young man love and look after your most prized possessions that instills trust and assurance in your soul.  In Allan I have this blessing!

Day Trip - Elk Island & Ukrainian Village

Another day off and another quick trip to sites in Alberta that we've never ventured to before.  Started the day with a much needed 'sleep-in' session, got to have one of these once in a while, so we didn't get on our way until after noon but had a beautiful day for travel.  Sunshine, 30 degrees, and women dressed in full Ukrainian Garb from the early 1900's greeted us at the restored village about 1 hour east of Edmonton.  After a $7 bison burger with nothing to go with it we took a couple hours to tour the town site and soak up the history.  I just love this kind of stuff but did find the people acting the part of the towns people as if they were in the early 20's to be a bit difficult to communicate with and get straight answers.  Fun and worth the trip once in a decade to see what they've done.

Greek Orthodox Ukrainian Church - circa 1939

Holly at the Ukrainian Village

Dennis on Steel Wheeled Tractor

We were then off to Elk Island National Park just a few kilometers down the highway.  We were intrigued by the reports of bison, elk, moose and coyotes that roam the park.  Driving the roads of the park we did see a couple of very large Plains Bison but nothing else other than some Canadian Geese.  Looks like a fun place for a family picnic or hike without the worry of bears.  Again, don't know if we'll be back anytime soon but worth knowing about.

Plains Bison - Elk Island August 2012

One of the many islands in Elk Island National Park

Another powerful Plains Bison as opposed to the Wood Bison

Really fun to see bison in their natural habitat that are truly wild and not being bred for the dinner table.

Awe Inspiring Jasper, Alberta

The past few years my wife and I have discovered the best way to spend my two days off which are usually Monday and Tuesday.  We pack our bags Saturday night, go to work and church Sunday morning and as soon as we can get away we head to the Canadian Rockies.  We've done this a few times now to both Banff and Jasper.  There is no better place to unwind and enjoy time together.  Two days seems so much longer there than just hanging out at home.  We're exploring new things and I love the time we have on the drive there and back.  It's great fun and has added a new dimension to our relationship that has made life an adventure even at 50.
This past weekend we went to Jasper and stayed at the Bear Hill Cabins.  They aren't fancy but quiet, however, I think we'll try somewhere else next time.  The Alpine Chalets looked really nice but they book up quickly.  The theme of our trip this past weekend seemed to be 'Bears'.  We rarely see bears but we saw three in one day as the pictures below will show.  The first little black bear was so much fun to watch stripping the berries from the bushes no more than 15 feet from us.  I also got to try out my new camera which I'm not quite quick enough with for capturing swimming bears but perhaps next time.  All in all I would recommend a short road trip to anyone interested in adding some flavor to their relationship.  We enjoyed seeing places we took our children to when they were little and the memories are so sweet.

Black Bear Gets Stuck

Holly in Jasper

Maligne (Wicked) River

Elk Herd Outside Jasper

Dennis near Pyramid Lake

Maligne River with Suspended Logs

Amazing River Gorge and Rapids

Brown Bear Swims River

A Bear Butt

The End, For Now

August 6, 1983 - A Day to Remember

August 6th, 29 years ago, our first child was born weighing in at a slight 6 lbs with the most beautiful red hair to the delight of her parents and grandparents.  I thought I knew what happiness, love and joy were but until that moment when I first saw her little face I had no idea the emotions that would fill my soul.  Never had I had tears of joy stream down my face as I did at that precious moment.  And now 29 years later I still find myself with those same tears staining my face as I reflect back over those years and the same happiness she brings into my life each and every day.  Danielle has been a delight to have in our home as a child, sister and now we have the wonderful blessing of seeing her in her role as wife and mother.  I'm learning that a parents greatest joy is in seeing their children have and rear their own children.  I often see my mom in Danielle and she has no idea what comfort this gives me as I see the attributes of my own mother live on in her.
Below are just a few pictures of this amazing daughter and some fun videos:

August 1983 - Hospital Baby Picture - Danielle Larsen

Danielle with her Grandma Lynn in Park City, Utah

Danielle with Lion Cub, outing with Grandma Lynn in Oregon

Danielle has always been the responsible older sister and when each of our other children came along we knew that Danielle would always be there to love, help and support them.  She was the director of games and countless video productions in our family room.

Danielle & Haley in hotel on way to Canada 1987

Above, Danielle practicing her signature move!

Danielle Larsen - Red Haired Beauty

Danielle as Snow White - Halloween

Danielle, much like her Grandma Lynn, loves Halloween and was always excited to see what kind of a character she could be.  She, her mother and siblings continue this tradition.

60's Swing

Larsen Children with Grandma and Grandpa Broby, Utah 1991

Danielle, Cory, Kelsey & Haley - Christmas 1991

And now a new chapter in our lives and hers.  Danielle Reay the wife of Allan our wonderful son-in-law and the mother of three of our precious grandchildren, Emma Merlynn, Walker Allan and Lillian Danielle.

Allan and Danielle Reay, Christmas 2011 with Lillian in blanket.

Danielle, mother of three. Halloween 2011

Christmas Surprise for Danielle - Bridget becomes the newest member of the Reay household.

Still our Red Haired Beauty - Summer 2012 in Utah

She is still the light of our life and a blessing beyond understanding.  Happy Birthday Danielle!