Happy Happy Birthday BABY !

Mom and Mary

 

Today Is our BABY GIRLS birthday! We are so far away and missing her so much on this day. It wouldn't be so bad except she is also having  BABY! Nothing like your BABY GIRL having a BABY GIRL!

We want to take a few minutes to tell you about what life has been being the parents of ................

MARY JANE WOLLENZIEN DEWEY

Grandpa Killpack Mary and Sam

Mary was born on July 28,1985 on a Sunday morning. Most of my kids were born 4 days after their due date and this was another one 4 days late. We had been through this 6 times before and knew that I was not ready to have the baby yet. It was another normal Sunday with many signs of pre labor pains but this Sunday was different. My mom had driven up to help when ever the baby came and see all the rest of the kids up in Utah. When she came we had just returned from church and so she said 'Who wants to go to the store with me?'. And out the door they all went. I mean all 6 of them.

Mary,Grandma Killpack,Mandy

Of course the minute they left I started into real labor.  Thinking I would drive from Highland to Orem hospital and just get checked and come back later to get the kids settled We left without telling my mom. We saw my moms car safely at 'Grand Central' and thought we will call her later.(this was before cell phones)

Mary and her smile

Well when We got to the hospital I was already at a 7 and with in an hour we had a sweet little baby girl. She prides herself in being my easiest baby ever. She and Mandy both just came 'lickety Split' and boy was I glad.

The Nurse who delivered her was called Mary and I always loved the name Mary and being on a Sunday we decided to call her Mary. Like Christs mother. We also loved the name Jane. We have a very dear friend by the name of Jane who has been an awesome example to us and so we named her

Mary Jane Wollenzien.

And so we all know the saying..... Sunday's Child is Full of Grace !

Right???

 Oh Our Mary! From the minute she was born she was a busy little baby. 

Mary and Willy

All the kids loved to hold her.

Mary and her Brothers

Windy just loved Mary and was so possessive of her. I know it was because of Windy's age but she loved Mary. All the kids did. And so when they were home they always had her. We loved her too but she really enjoyed being with her siblings so very much. And they always were good to her...I think!

Sam and Mary

When she was just about 4 months she would scoot on her belly everywhere. She would get clear down the hallway and across the house in no time. She ate constantly and she was so very tiny. When we would take her to Dr. Freestone he was surprised because she was so small. She always was at the very low end of the growth chart.  He told us that if she wasn't so darn healthy he would worry about her but she was so healthy.

She was always healthy. She has been that way ever since.

With Mary we never knew what was going to happen next. I guess she was preparing us for this mission. She had so much fun with her brothers and sisters but her brothers especially.

John Mandy and Mary in the Middle.

She loved to do things that were so out of the ordinary. Like skateboard on our driveway with a giant black garbage bag in a highland wind storm. One day the wind was so bad and she was so little her dad made her come in because he thought the wind would take off with her.

She had a group of friends and cousins just as crazy. 

Natalie and Mary Moving out.

But their craziness was with good intention. For Example;When they delivered brand new garbage cans to Highland,you know the kind with the wheels and lid, the kids would all get inside(before they were used for trash) and push the can on someones front porch and push the doorbell and close the lid.(this was usually the porch of a new person who just moved in) When they answered the door and lifted the lid they would pop out of the can and either say trick or treat or sing a song. All to help the person feel welcome?

I will never forget all the pranks she would play like hiding under the bed and talking while Mindy was in her bed with her back turned pretending to be Mary.

Calling from "school' to ask if she could go see George Bush in Provo (before he was president). I am not sure how it all took place but the next thing I knew she was there, in Provo, trying her hardest to see and 'TOUCH' George Bush. Well She ends up On the front page of B.Y.U. Press with George Bush and,yes,she touched him.  All because she thought he was so cute.

Tom Green

She calls us one day and she is in the courtroom with the polygamist leader  Tom Green during the trials. Before the trial she had an interview with News man from channel 2 news. Another night she calls and tells us to watch her on KSL  news, So we do and ...........

The next thing we know she and 'FRIENDS' are on the news because dynamite was in a trailor in Highland and they were being interviewed about it????

I had one lady ask me how my daughters picture was in her daughters year book from another high School in the valley. I told her she was crazy. I later found out Mary was in almost every yearbook in Utah county and I had no clue. Some of the pictures you may not recognize, nor the name but she is there.

Willy Robert Lottie Brielle John Mary Devon

I thought she was at school every day. She did so well in school . But she was just very creative.In Mozambique you would call it clever. She was just always trying to get everyone involved in doing something fun.

 My favorite was her "River Dancing Club" she created and ended up with so many people joining it.  People really liked doing things she proposed because it included people instead of excluding them. Like the savior wants us to do. Then there was Fanny Pack Friday and

"Turtleneck Tuesday" . People really looked forward to those days. Then there was the year she was on the year book staff and the adventures with Yearbook and people from other High Schools. I  remember the hit and run accident downtown in  Spanish Fork during Fiesta Days Rodeo. That was soooooo sad. But we lived through it. 

We also lived through her telling us she was going to be an equestrian counselor

Mary at Valley of Fire

Mary the Barrell Racer

For a childrens camp in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. That would have been fine if she was an equestrian. She had no worries. She just learned as she went. Thank goodness for Katy Williams.

Mary in Peru

Then she signed up to be an employee for Disney World in Florida for 6 months. We were shocked but she had a plan her and STEVEN were going to drive back there together. And off they went. And six months later they came back. With that package came free Disney World Tickets and Discounts on Hotels. So we cant complain.

Mary and Mandy Disney World.

She was full of so much fun and understanding of people.

I remember her Rugby days and the size she was and the size of the players on her team and others.

Mary and Tate

Sometimes as a parent you make some purchases that at the time you wonder if they really are what you need. But  they end up being one of your best investments; Like Baruka, Doogan Dog, Burt and Ernie, 
The trampoline and the Video Camera.

Mary and Burt

When we lived in Payson we gave her and the rest of the children a video camera to use.

I wonder what life would have been like if we never bought that video camera.

Mary and Maizy

All the kids have had so much fun with that camera but for Mary it is has become a part of her life. She has created some pretty crazy movies with that camera and others.   But she has really blessed our family with that talento. She has always had a great talent of getting her dad to do things no one else can get him to do.  She makes family videos for her family every other Thanksgiving and more. She has used that skill to make probably the best film of a Stake Handcart Trek there ever was.

Three Queens

What a kid. What a girl . What a Woman. She is always full of surprises.

Mary and Mom

But,She always thinks out her plans. She thinks ahead and plans ahead. She is always planning and thinking. Like I said she usually has a good reason for what she does. Like surprise party's for no reason, Christmas breakfast on a July Morning and leaving me a hidden treasure when she left on her mission that she knew through a process I would eventually find.   

Through all her adventures She has learned to use wisdom and good judgement in what she does. She can also squeeze 11 cents out of a dime(and her dad).

So Life with Mary has been a real adventure and We never knew what was coming next until one day!..........................................................................

 We met Devon and he was one step ahead of Mary. He already had her number so to speak.

Devon and Mary and Willy and Tate

 Mary said they were friends.  And Maybe they were but there was something special about this boy.

He didn't go away. The more he was around the more we really liked him. Mary would tell us she would NEVER date Devon. But he was always with her. We  knew some thing was coming  long before Mary did.

Dad and Mary and Devon Log Chucking.

This young man was persistent and we liked him. We would pray Mary would see what a wonderful young man he was and at least give him a chance.

But She continued to deny it and just acted as though she did not like him except as a friend.

Mary and Mandy DC

Willy and Mary Mt Vernon

UNTIL     

Thanksgiving. 
John and I took  Mary and Willy went to Washington DC to see Mandy for Thanksgiving. 
 The first night we went on a walk and passed a storm drain cover that had Dewey written on it. Mary got so excited she had me take a picture of it. Well the rest of that thanksgiving weekend she could not stand being away from him.  She was constantly calling him. It was so obvious to John and Mandy and Willy and I. Mary was in the clouds goo-goo over Devon.

Mary Jumping for Joy in DC

  Devon and his famly had to join us via laptop to Thanksgiving dinner. It was so funny. That is when things really started to change.

the Ring

And this is the best decision Mary has made so far.

Mary and Nora

They are having so much fun together through filming and creating and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mary and Ansley

Mary and Ansley and part of Maizy

And now they are going to have even more fun and joy together as they begin their parenting part of having a family.

 We are so proud of you Mary and so happy for You and Devon. We love you both so much.

  

We hope you have a Happy Birthday or when you get this had a happy birthday.

Mom and Dad before MTC

This is a little late because we had District Conference, the same as Stake Conference, with our Novo Presidente Kretley.

He told a story of when he was 8 and was told to write a book called Life.

 He went to his mother and His friends mother to ask the question 'What is Life?'

His friends mother said 'The life is an accident and it is work and laundry and toil and strife. Pain and disappointment.It is and accident!' The other mother,his mother,said 'The life is wonderful! It is a challenging  and marvelous thing. It is full of blessings and growing experiences. It is full of Joy!'

His mother is now 96 and would give you the same answer today.  The other is a sad mother and his friend lived a very sad life with no hope or direction. She never had the gospel to guide them. While His mother Had the Gospel and The  knowledge that her work was serving her family. She found real Joy in this life.

Mary Have a happy birthday and enjoy this time of your life because you only go through this part one time.  You, Devon, waiting for baby, enjoying this preparation time. It is marvelous. This is  JOY.

We love you.

Mom Mary and Dad

And so We will end with a picture of one of our most favorite things we have done so far on our mission. 

It is actually what makes it all worth while.

It is one reason all of us here do what we do.

Just for these 

little

Babies !

Dad and The Kids on the Island.

Holding a 2 week old baby on the Island (Ilha de Idugo)

Have a Happy Birthday Mary.