Happy Sweet Sixteen! (Pictures Added!)

A tiny baby Ashlee with Mamaw and Pa Skaggs right after coming home from the hospital.

Aunt Nannie with little Ashlee
This was taken the day of the parade and I had rode on the basketball float.

Ashlee and Pa Skaggs at his and Mamaw's 50th wedding anniversary reception.

So sweet...around a year old here.

Aunt Nannie and Ashlee.

She made such a sweet flower girl!
June 6, 1996~almost 3 years old.

Ashlee with Matthew Travis (check out all of his black hair!)
She's 4 1/2

Matthew Travis, Pa, and Ashlee
This was the night of fall festival of Ashlee's 1st grade year.
Matthew and Ashlee at the fair.
Rebecca, Ashlee, Matthew, and Rachael
Ashlee holding Jacob for the very first time on his birthday.
She liked one day being 9 years old.
Bro. Wayne Tomes baptizing Ashlee
9 years old
Ashlee, Jacob and Michael.
She's around 10
Valentine's Day
Ashlee and Jacob at her DARE graduation in 2004
Matthew, Ashlee, Jacob and Michael at the aquarium in Gatlinburg
Summer 2004
Oops! Got this one out of order :)
Ashlee and Jacob on Halloween 2002
Ashlee, Jacob and Grandpa
Only a year or so ago.
Here she is all grown up on me!
♥Sweet Sixteen♥

I can hardly believe it! My sweet and beautiful niece, Ashlee Renee, turned sixteen years old today! Not only that, she came bounding in the door at Mom's after taking her driving permit test, and announced, really loudly, that she got it!!! She had driven her and her mom there, and I'm pretty sure Christie prayed the entire drive :o)

I can remember 16 years ago, that I went on to school and thought they were just being mean and wasn't calling to tell me if I had a niece or nephew. Little did I know that there had been no arrival yet! I was in Mr. Howard White's class, and mom called to tell me that it was a girl! I was so excited and could hardly wait for dad to pick me up after school to get me to the hospital. Ashlee was a beautiful baby and is a beautiful young lady today. We are so close and I am thankful to be her aunt! I have enjoyed sharing her life and seeing her grow into the person she is today. She is a wonderful young person who puts God first...I couldn't be more proud! When she was born, Jeromy and Christie actually lived with us for a while until they could get their home renovated, and I was able to see and hold her every day. She was like a breathing baby doll to me! The best part, when she started crying, I could hand her off rather quickly to someone else!

I feel blessed to have Ashlee for my niece and that we share the relationship we do. It's hard on Nan to see her girl all grown up and especially to see her behind the wheel of a car. Shucks, graduation, college and who knows what else is just a blink away!

Happy Sweet Sixteen Ashlee!