Happy Birthday to Melinda!

It was 20 years ago today we were blessed by God. Melinda Elizabeth Sanford was born into our family at 12:30pm on August 30, 1990.

Months before she was born the Lord gave her mom the name 'Melinda'. Dad however wanted the name 'Rebecca'. They did agree that if it was a boy it would be Phillip Connor. It was just an hour before the baby was born that Dad blessed Mom with agreeing to the name she believed was given by God.

"Melinda" means 'honey' and "Elizabeth" (also her mom's middle name) means 'consecrated to God'. Today all can see that she was appropriately named by God as her hair is the color of honey and her heart belongs to the Lord!

Melinda wore home the same dress her mother had worn home from the hospital 27 years before and her Gramma had worn when she was an infant...a beautiful handmade white cotton dress.

Melinda has always been a 'daddy's girl'!!

When Melinda was seven years old the Lord moved us from Virginia to Illinois. We discovered 'Starved Rock' which looks much like the Blue Ridge of VA. Melinda poses for the camera even back then.

'Sugar and Spice!!' Amazing how you can take Mom's coat, Dad's handkerchief, Granddad's hat and Uncle Richard's glasses and transform a 13 year old!

These two horses at Aunt Lee's are the reason Melinda loves horses! She first rode them when she was one and a half years old with her mom. Here she is years later still loving those beautiful creatures.

At fifteen years old and straight hair is in!!

Today! Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Prov 31:29

May the Lord richly bless you Melinda as you are such a blessing to many...your warm smile and ready laugh brings joy to many...your steady confidence and firm faith brings comfort to many...your sentimental heart and deep love brings encouragement to many.

Happy Birthday, Melinda 'Blessed' Elizabeth Sanford!

You are blessed of God!

Ending with a bang!

Well everyone July has now ended... Personally I cannot believe that it is over and never to come again. Our family sure did make sure it left with a huge bang though! From singing the National Anthem at a Baseball game, to helping out with a friends wedding reception, to Threshing day. We made sure to live it up to the fullest. Here are a few pictures of the events:


First up we have a Peoria Chiefs baseball game organized by a family in our church. When we got to the field we were pretty sure it was going to be "rained out" since it was pouring down. But after awhile the skies cleared and then sun sort of showed itself. As we waited for them to re-sand the diamond some of the people from church got our voices warmed up for singing. We were all a little nervous but after getting down in the field and starting to sing, I think we all were so happy and blessed to be there that our 'butterflies' left us and we sang to the Glory of God. Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of this so you will have to trust my words instead. :)


The girls and their sweet friends. :)

My ever lovely and gorgeous parents whom we all love very much. I think they enjoyed the game.

After the game was over Dad had gotten passes so the kids could run the bases. Here is a picture of the girls running...

The boys turned it more into a race and here they are running as well...

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Our dear friends asked us if we would help out with their daughter's wedding reception. We were ever ready to help and so we dress in black and white and went over to help serve. Here Jess, Rebecca, and I stop for a picture together.

The guys sitting at the "helpers" table.

All of us lined up to help serve people their food.

And what reception is complete without dancing?? All of us 'helper's were blessed to be able to join in the celebration while our parents did the clean-up! Here we are all dancing our hearts out.

And another picture of us dancing...

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Saturday our parents decided to have a fun morning/afternoon of just family time. So they took us to what is called "Threshing Day" out in Tremont. They had tractor exhibits, tractor rides, horses, and fun things like that to entertain you.

Here Zach and Elaina are watching as a machine turns hay into bales.

As you can see they had tons of tractors there.

Here Daddy is showing us what everything is called. Having been raised on a farm he knew a whole lot of information and was glad to be able to share it with his children.

We even got to ride on the tractor-thingy.

A beautiful Clydesdale filly and her mother were on show. We all got to pet these huge horses.

At the end of the time they had a tractor parade. It was neat to see all the hard work these men put into fixing up the old tractors.

And I think that catches you up on our life!

God bless y'all!
~Meli