Tiffany Larece Collins Harper

This is Tiffany's family. Ryan, Lily, and Carson. Tiffany has been a teacher for, I think, 7 years. This is her first year since graduating from BYU that she is not teaching. The last 2 years she has taught Kindergarten. I have been in her classroom and she is a wonderful teacher. She is pretty mild-mannered (most of the time!!) and I had worried the kids would walk all over her, after watching her, I accused her of being a "mean" teacher! She was very compassionate with them, just as she is with her two beautiful children. Lily is 21 months old and Carson is 4 months old. (They will each have their own post). Tiff has been going to this class at the gym called Zumba and shows us her "moves". We would laugh and she would want us to do them with her, well this past wednesday she DRUG JeNece and I with her. I thought I would laugh through the whole thing, but I was concentrating so hard I couldn't laugh or watch anyone else! It was fun! On wednesdays I watch Ethan and Cara while JeNece sleeps off her 12 hour shift and Tiff, Lily and Carson have been coming over and we do little field trips with the kids, it is fun but the best time is when we get all 4 of them down for a nap! Then Tiff and I get to relax. I enjoy spending the day with her. Tiffany is a wonderful daughter, I love to watch her with her children and with her siblings. She is a shopper, and I love when she brings her "Treasures" over to show me, it always makes me smile! For years, many years we have always said if you give Tiff and Jece $50, JeNece will get one maybe two quality items, Tiff on the other hand will have 10-15 items!! It is so fun to watch her learn and grow, I still at times seem glimpses of the little girl, some of her mannerisms have stuck with her. Being with her when she delivered Lily and Carson was an honor. How wonderful it is to share that experience with a daughter. I hope she realizes that the way she looks at her children, and loves them is exactly how I look at and love her!

MY SUCCESSES!!

Being a mom to these four people is the greatest! They are sitting in youngest to oldest, Zachary (21), Bryan (24), JeNece (27), Tiffany (28). Of course if you are reading this you know them. But for me and future posterity, I am going to do a little something on each of them. I hope to one day scan in some childhood pictures and try and remember little stories about each of them. They don't always understand why even though they are all in their 20's they are still my "Children". It's crazy how my protective instinct is still as strong as it was when they were little. They can fight their own battles but they know I am on the ropes in case they need to tag me and I will fight for them! That has been tested a couple of times and it even surprised me that those feelings never go away. At this stage of life I enjoy their friendship, we play together, we confide in each other, we laugh, cry, and sometimes yell at each other! Usually on Sundays we are all together to have dinner. It is loud, chaotic, crowded, etc... and I wouldn't change anything! Well actually Donnie and I are hoping in the near future we can close in the back deck and extend the kitchen and family room. As our family grows our living areas seem to get smaller. We have a standard size dining room table and we crowd around it, we have recently bought a small wooden kids table and put it to the side so that they are by us but not taking up room at the big table. I am so grateful that we all live here in North Georgia. I look forward to so many wonderful things happening in our family. Knowing that are family is forever brings me great joy and peace of mind!

Well I have been thinking about this blog for a long time.... obviously you can tell from the last post, it has been quite awhile! Our family picture is a bit oudated. We have added a few members since then. I have so much to be grateful for and so much that I enjoy in my life that I decided it was time to start back blogging. My journal is in a similar state so hopefully this will help that also. My camera broke but I should have a new one soon and be able to add some updated pictures. Start checking on us to see our updates!

NEW POST FOR ZACH

I have updated Zach's mission site. Check it out.

I will also get my blog updated in the next few days!! I promise!!!

LEFT HANDERS BEWARE!!

Zach's latest email is posted on his mission site. Find out why I titled this what I did???

New Email

Once again it is time to check Elder Collins mission site. Don't forget if you would like to send him a note, he gets them easiest from "dearelder.com" Select Ghana-Cape Coast mission and his name and he gets them a few weeks later on Tuesdays. This is also the easiest way for you and it is FREE!! Thanks for your prayers and support for our son.