We have been married for 10 years on May 15th!! I can't believe it has been that long. We have been together for 12 years!! We have the most wonderful children ever!! Jake surprised me with a rented Charger for our date, I LOVE fast cars. I don't think he realized how much I did until we started our date. We went to dinner and went dancing. It was very nice to just be together and forget that we have responsiblities, stresses and children. The children stayed with Jake's sister Amy for the night. We got home at 3am, it was nice to remember the reasons we got married in the first place.

On Saturday, Kendra and Maliyah had a birthday party at 11am, which you could imagine was hard for us because we had stayed up all night. The party theme was a Tea Party, so the girls wear very cute pink dresses. Courtney spent the rest of Saturday with her cousin Mariah. Justin and Austin stayed home and played with Dad while I got my hair done.

Things are going really well. There is a saying my Dad always says "it's a GREAT day to be alive".

I am so excited because I am starting school this summer at BYU!! This will be such a great thing for me! I have been dreaming of this day for as such a long time...

The 3 girls had a performance at school on Monday. They did an amazing job! Yesterday I was able to see Courtney's dance pictures. They turned out so well. She is such a pretty little girl! She is very happy that dance is almost over for the summer, she is ready to be bored. The boys have their graduation from preschool on the 27th of May. They have one every year to graduate them to the next level. Kendra and Maliyah have a field trip tomorrow that I am going with them on. I HATE field trips. I know that they are only young once, but I still hate going on them. The school didn't have anyone to help Kendra and Maliyah, so I had to fill in. I just hate finding babysitters to watch the boys. I guess it will be a nice break from the boys, they are handfuls :).

I am doing several speaking engagements and really enjoy that. Some people think I am nuts because it really doesn't bother me to get in front of people and talk. I love the chance to share parts of our never ending story. Just because I am done writing that book doesn't mean the stories ends there. Life is always about the next trail and journey that we have to face, but we will be better for it. I hope that is always true for us! Its truly amazing to reread my book and see how far we have come, but than to realize we have a lot more to climb, and trying to figure out how to make it all the way to the top.

We just uploaded new pictures!

I was really upset today about the girls legs. Its so much work getting them fitted, more than I thought it would be. That is just our life, everything more work than we think. We are going back tomorrow for more fitting. I am so proud of the girls, well all of our children. They are all doing so well. We have so much planned for this summer, its very overwhelming. I will just take one day at a time and know I am not super women;).

Jake has been sick with strep throat the last couple of days. So I have been caring for him and keeping the kids away from him. That is all we need is the kids to get sick with this. I thought today that I was coming down with it, but I am just fine.

The boys and I are headed for another field trip on Thursday. I can't believe that they have almost finished their first year of preschool. Time flies!!

Courtney has her final competition on Saturday. I am really sad for those to be over because I enjoy watching her dance so much. At her last competition her team was so good even the judges her dancing. Its so much fun for Courtney! When Courtney isn't dancing its very boring because we wait for hours until her next performance.

Here is another neat post from the guestbook:
I have received and started reading your book and it is amazing. You are truely an amazing person with an amazing family. Even though I don't know you personally, I feel like I do. I spent 9 weeks on bedrest up at University Hospital with my twins before they were born at 32 weeks. In fact I went home the day before you were admitted from what I read in your book. I wish I would have had the chance to get to know you. I have followed your story since before the separation of the girls. They truely are miracles and I am so happy that they are doing well. You and your family are always in my thoughts and prayers and I wish you the best. Thank you for sharing your story.

Love The Herrin's

There are many people in the world I admire for there strength and love towards others. But the ones I most admire are people that are real with the ones around them. Its a very difficult thing to stand up for something you believe in or something that you want so bad but wouldn't be good for your family. As I read your emails it touches my heart that some of you struggle through some of the things I write about in my book. I was at lunch with a friend of mine today, we both got pregnant at an early age. She talked about how she tried not to remember that time in her life, but when she was reading my book those emotions came flooding back to her. The best thing I have ever done in my life was marry Jake, have 5 beautiful children and than be able to write a book I know that my children will be so proud of when they are older. There are so many things we each face in our lives, but I know that I can get through mine because I have a great family.

I wanted to share this message that was left on our guestbook. Everyone has trails in life some more than others. I am just glad that people are willing to share them with me and my family.

Erin-I got your "heart in print" on Friday and read the entire book without stopping. I was touched by so many thoughts and feelings that you put to paper. You really shared your personal life with those of us who have been so impacted by your story. I feel like I know you and I wish I lived closer. I would love to do anything I can to help. Thank you for opening up your heart and life to us. I'm sure a lot of it was difficult to live through the first time and writing it had to bring back a flood of emotions. I had to have a box of tissues to get through the book. I, too, am a mom and respect and admire what you did. I would have chosen the same path. I have, also, struggled with my marriage and continue to do so now, and pray that the Lord gives me strength and direction. Thank you, again. I love you and your family. You are my inspiration!!

Everyday I open my email and the guestbook to wonderful messages from people that really do care about our family. So thank you for making my days better. The best has been hearing how much you each LOVE my book. I hope you all don't mind, but I am going to be putting those up on our website. Its so wonderful that my dream of writing my story came true. I will not put the names up because some of you wouldn't like that. So keep the emails and guestbook entries coming :).

I received your book today and haven't been able to put it down! I'm just beginning Chapter 19. Having followed your website since the separation, I was surprised to see how much I'm reading for the first time in your book. It's so honest - even when it's so clear how difficult some of the issues were - and so beautifully written. I suggest everyone who is thinking about ordering the book do so. You will be glad you did.

Maliyah is sick today! I really don't want to take her to the hospital, so please say a prayer for her, that she will be good as new tomorrow.

Love
The Herrin's

The girls didn't receive their legs yesterday, as planned. We have to wait until May 5th now. I also had to schedule the girls for surgery today. Each time it get worse for me to put the girls through another one. I just pray that they will not have to many complications like every other surgery. Our insurance refuses to pay for the hyper-bartic chamber, so I hope Kendra's belly will close. I really hate figuring out how to make insurance pay for things. I should write a book on jumping through hoops to get insurance help. Heaven knows I have done my share! I really want to get the kids signed up for swimming lessons, I am just nervous that something will happen and they won't be able to take them.

Courtney came home from school sick today. She has another competition tomorrow, so I hope that she can feel better soon. Justin and Austin had Pet Day yesterday, but Alli is still a puppy and so I decided that she didn't need to go. They took stuffed animals instead. Next year will be better for Alli to be around little kids.

Jake is pretty overwhelmed right now with stuff and I am overwhelmed with surgeries coming up. I told him we are a great time together so we can make sure the other one is doing OK. He always tries to do more than me. Thanks babe for taking care of me! :) I just got an invitation to my 10 year high school reunion, I am getting so old. I still feel 16.;)