The Doty Family of 3 - Soon to be 4!!!

I cannot WAIT for this family to become a family of 4!  Liam is so adorable.  He's handsome and mischievous.  He's spunky and sweet.  He's adorable and hilarious.  I have no doubts that he will be a great Big Brother!  As for Beau and Devin - there is no denying that they are already great parents, and this child will be just as fortunate as Liam to feel their love!  Will it be a boy again?  Or will it be a girl?  I can't wait to find out!

Until next time...

Nolan is ONE!

This handsome man is ONE!  I remember last year when he seemed so small, and now he's moving all over the place!  He's clearly in love with his tractor and the Bears!  I wonder if his opinion of the Bears have changed this season!  I can't wait to see this little one-year-old turn into a growing, moving, speaking toddler!  Thank you Brent and Albana for allowing me to capture his handsomeness yet again!

Until next time...

My BFF and Her Amazing Family

Everybody has that "one."  The one who you can tell anything to.  The one who knows what you're going to say before you say it.  The one who can live miles and miles away and every time you talk it's as if you haven't spent a day apart.  Well, Jenny has been that person for me since we met in 8th grade...I was wearing a Minnie Mouse outfit (absolutely hideous now that I look back) and she was in some collared shirt with a skirt, per St. Stephen's dress code!

I remember our Freshman year of college - Jenny at NIU and me at ISU.  I hated being apart as we literally spent every waking moment together.  Jenny found this guy named Bill.  She told me a little about him and I didn't like him.  I didn't like him because he was becoming the new me.  Well, that didn't last long.  Jenny and I continued to have an inseparable bond, and Bill just kind of worked his way into our friendship.

Bill and I have grown close over the years.  While we may not speak daily, or even weekly, we can always count on each other's support when we want to make fun of Jenny.  We are both usually on the same side of the argument - while Jenny watches in the distance and yells at both of us.

I was able to stand by Jenny's side as her main-of-nor and just 4 short years ago I was ecstatic to see Jenny and Bill start their own family.  Max entered this world - Guns-a-Blazin', and he and Tyler formed an instant bond as they're only 3 weeks apart.  Flash forward about 2.5 years and Finley was born.  I remember driving to their house to meet her and loving that they were now a family of 4 just like the beautiful family that I am fortunate enough to have.

Jenny and I will always have that special bond.  The bond that only sisters have.  BUT, we are sisters from another Mr.  While our days of cheering for high school basketball and weekday sleepovers are over, we have a different bond now.  We are both mothers to two beautiful children and we share those stories, heartaches, frustrations, and joys.  And I know that Bill will always be there for me - to help when I need to make fun of her for something.

Love you Erslers!

Until next time...