Brooke Charity Phillips

                              ~ Brooke Charity Phillips ~                                                         

                                 Happy Birthday Kiddo!!

                               March 22, 1993 up to 2013

                                   It's a wonderful Life :)

When you were little you used to say you were born on Marchen 22. I think you said it for several years... Cutest thing!! Happy Birthday to you Brooke!

  Your life has been amazing, and full of color and surprise! You are a fun, happy, beautiful, kind, sensitive young lady, and we couldn't be more proud of the "WHO" you are! Let's walk down memory lane and review some snippets of your wonderful life~

Gabe was so excited to help you and hold you. And I am not responsible for that hair cut! He cut a chunk out of his bangs and we had to modify.

One of Dad's favorite things was to pat your back and snuggle, and nap!

You were a happy little one, loved by your siblings and really anxious to get up and going. You weren't easily frustrated, except trying to crawl and roll from front to back. You did NOT like tummy time!

Blessing day~ Your brothers were so proud of you

Giggle time with Dad

 And Nap time again, but you weren't really playing along.

Time for Church

 Look who's 1

Since we were in Maine, Patti and Mike celebrated all the holidays and Birthdays with us. The cake was fun, those are cookies I cut out and decorated on the side. Wish the picture was better. As the years went on the cakes kind of got uglier!!

Everybody was so excited to see you walking

Family Photo time

From the early days you liked picture taking and posing.... and it shows most of the time!

You knew how to focus in and draw the viewer right to you!!

You cared from an early age about how you looked and luckily you were good enough at doing most of it yourself- and you cleaned up real good!!  Your hair was something you prided yourself in keeping up (ok, so the above photo has me questioning that... jk lol!) Remember you got to share your baptism weekend with Amanda's baby blessing, Look how cute you is!!

                                     Baptism-One of my favorite pictures

Remember these fun times? We tied your hair with rags and you slept on them! I think you cried when we took them out!!  But you were willing to do what the pioneers did- including dress up like one!!  (I think I made you do that too!!)  :)

And then this.... what 8-9 year old kid decides to learn how to play the piano by looking at a 2" LED screen with the notes on it, and learn Pachabel Canon in D for her first song??  Only Brooke Charity Phillips! You worked so hard on that and I was so happy that you 1> weren't afraid to do hard things 2> had the drive to work at the tedious and frustrating and 3> recognized beautiful music!  It wasn't easy to do that, but it didn't stop you from working at it until you became masterful and confident. What a blessing that has been to us and many. It goes to show that you can do anything you set your mind to!

You aren't afraid of "mountains", you actually excel at climbing them because you believe in YOU!!  I am glad that you do accept some help now and again :)

We were so grateful that you loved being with the family and spending time with the young'ens. You didn't complain that you had to spend time with them... you tried to make it fun, because you are fun :)

                              Awwwwe!!    Heck we were all fun!!

                                    From Dress up to plays.....

    To Crazy Phillips Ways...

Not sure if this was "princess" or wedding... You guys were always creating fun!

Cousin Time

                                             The 'ole Love Sac Leap!

                          So glad no one got hurt with this family fun game

And from a very young age you were designing and decorating the foodz!!

                     And getting outside for some good dirty fun!

You hated the dirt, but you did like to be outside enjoying nature.

We had fun traveling around the country.... you saw lots of interesting things!

Rapid City South Dakota

Salt Lake City, UT

Hurricane, our house 2000

           Like Family and Wonderful Buildings and things from History.

                                                   Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

                                                   Bridge to Mexico, El Paso, Texas

                                                         Cruise Ship to the Bahamas

                                                                    Nauvoo , Il   Play

Bahamas

                                                         Arlington National Cemetery, DC

Random Firework Warehouse, Illinois

Display village Nauvoo, Illinois

Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Washington DC

Waiting outside of the Smithsonian, Washington D.C.

My cousin Karen & her family, Baltimore, Maryland

Smith Farm house Palmyra, NY

Niagara Falls, NY

Hours of driving makes kids crazy!!

Sacred Grove, Palmyra, NY

Koa campground, Missouri

Adam Ondi Ahmen

Condo in Missouri

Otter Creek stayed for a weekend

Sand Hollow Sand Dunes

San Abelle Island, Florida

Charter fishing boat, Florida

florida

florida

San Abelle Island, FL

Tampa, Florida Aquarium

Anna Maria Island, Florida charter fishing

Anna Maria Island, Florida

Corpus Christi, Texas

Lake Powell

Mississippi River Ferry Boat ride

Powell

Lake Powell  Never afraid to throw some fun into any activity. and some danger!

Bahamanians!!

Mississippi River Ferry Boat Ride

Missouri, trying to get a good picture with the sunset 

Dancing with the fireflies in Missouri

Illinois, Missouri, Indiana...?

Busch Gardens, Florida

Worst Motel ever, but it was better than the streets- Florida, bed bugs, blood and who knows what else, drunk guy outside the door- scariest place we've slept ever!

Busch Gardens, Florida

And we did a lot of fun stuff together to make memories- thanks to your fun self some of them were even more fun!!

learning homemaking skills- you really did that on your own! Your baking skills and just cooking skills have been so fun and yummy!  I think that's so awesome that you love the art of feeding people. I love the taste of good food, but I never got the art of it, because of external worries. Good job!  Your family will be sooo blessed, as this is a piece of making a happy home :)

Supporting one another

Being silly

sporting events and recycling, multi-purposing the pumpkins

relaxing

Music appreciation

Holiday particiapation

carving skills

AWESOME Adventurors!!

Crazy- and Daring!!

photo opps

Look out VEGAS!

and family shooting :)

We have celebrated years of family fun and in it watched you grow as a team player and your own self and deal... working your heart out, and being willing to adapt.

I'm so glad that I got to be with you for your last seasons of volleyball, indirectly. I was so proud of your example, your leadership and your ability to stay strong even when you felt overlooked- you were able to put your wishes aside for the betterment of the team. And you had heart both on the court and in dealing with the drama of team sports. You were someone the others girls looked up to, and you were fun to be around-not like the grinchy bossy girls :) You inspired the young ones... and they told me so!

We had fun on Christmas morning and took advantage of those new cameras!

Brooke I want you to know i think you are amazing. You were so intense as a kid...asking questions, watching and seeing what was going on in the world, wanting to make a difference and stand for something. You worried about the underdog and the sad people, and you wanted to ease their suffering. I didn't give you enough encouragement to find ways to give that desire wings...but you did it on your own, in ways that were safe and still were easy for me to handle. You also made it a point to learn the art of cheerfulness and kindness- very important qualities to acquire.You have always been a bright spot whereever you go, bringing sunshine and warmth. I admire your work ethic and your sense of accomplishment- you set goals and complete the work necessary to meet the goals, again...that is such a mature trait, and yet you mastered while young! I am so grateful that you have been able to learn obedience. You learned to trust the rules and "feel" the danger in situations and then you learned to be strong enough to avoid danger, thank you for making our parenting easier because you were humble enough to learn this. And thank you for wanting to be a helper.... thats one you had to work for- because you didn't always give this.... but now your gift of helping goes beyond the obvious, as you look to make things easier for others. Thank you for that. We had a few tough years and I'd like to think we both learned and grew...and changed. I love that we can talk and laugh and enjoy things together. I felt in the tough days that you challenged my role, and the rules we set, and then all of a sudden I think you got that I wanted to trust you to make your own choices. I wasn't trying to be a fun-sucker, but a leader, and once you trusted my motives, those tensions went away. That was a beautiful day!!!  And I will always smile and be thankful for the fun way you make us laugh. You're so dang cute and fun, you got the silly kind of fun like my dad. The sense of humor that could pull me out of a bad mood and make me laugh.  With just your little way of walking, or say something, you change the tone of the moment. You are naturally funny and you don't even have to try! and then my favorite...

And Charity is the pure love of Christ... 

Charity- sufferth long, and is kind, charity envieth not, it vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.

The way you are living your life embodies those qualities... and you were named because so much love surrounded your birth. That love will follow you through your life as you continue to live the life of a charitable soul, because the reward for being loving.... is love.

thank you for being you Brooke- you are one of a kind and I love you!

You and we were blessed to be in a fun family that loves fiercely... 

Now that you have found the man that will add a new dimension in your life and ours, we are excited to see what will come. We are so happy for you two! :)

Family Photo 2012

                                           Brooke Charity Phillips

Brooke is happiness and  the hope in light.  She is music, she is the brightest color, she is beauty. She is laughter. When she is safe she shows her true desire, to lighten the weary heart, to magnify the good in life and our existence. She glitters and where ever she goes she leaves reflections of her touch. Her smile is true and it warms those who see it, her eyes are full of optimism and gratitude. She believes the best in us, she reaches out to help us be better, and feel at peace. She is strong and knows where she is going on the path that matters most. As she walks along the path she makes time to see the beauty around her, to hear the melodies of perfection, and as she reaches out to those who pass her by... she extends the love of God.

                                                    Our Kids Save Us 

We’re supposed to be the guide, the one who teaches and pulls aside, who lead with confidence. As parents we want only what’s best for the child, growing ourselves..our weakness are revealed.

We bring them into this world, hoping on prayer we can do them some good.

We visualize what we hope they will become,We worry over poor choices we make-fearing their lessons might push them away, or worse... that our guidance leads them astray.

They come so innocent, so pure, so clean. Needing us in every way. Smiling upward-their whole soul alive! Shining eyes undaunted by fear, untainted by failure. They trust and believe, trying to make sense of the things we say and the messages we intend.

They skip without care, play with peaceful minds. They laugh and it pulls us in, when we are open. They are grateful. Aware of the magnificence of life and all it’s glories. They express amazement and look for the good all around. They are full of curiosity and thanksgiving.

They grow, with us alongside them stretching under the pressure of teaching, not sensing that they are guiding us. We have it all wrong.... our kids come to save us.

In their innocence they remind us of hope, their understanding well beyond their years. They seek to make us happy.  They worry when we aren’t at peace, offering hugs to bring us out of our sadness. They laugh with us to build our confidence. They cry with us to ease our pain.

They inspire us with their choices, many we wonder if we could make, as they require a strong heart. They guide us with questions and reminders of what we ought to do.They pull us into playtime to rejuvenate our soul and ease our troubled minds.

They delight us with their abilities, and surprise us with their creations.They love without question and often without reason, They hold to us and believe in us and expect there will never be a day that they can’t! The pressure that we may disappoint them is always in the back of our minds, but their forgiveness helps us to keep trying.

And all the while I thought that we were leading them......

                                                                                                                                                                                        Diana Phillips

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKIE- I LOVE YOU!! :)