Happy Birthday Marshall! Your letter and pictures included.

*Marshall, you turned 8 a few weeks ago. I can't believe my baby boy is 8.
*I found out I was pregnant with you on May 8, 2003 in a charming, cute, little, brand-new, hard-wood floored twin-home apartment in Sturgis South Dakota. I was 18 years old.
*My first doctors appointment and ultrasound was May 29, 2003 with Dr. Church in Spear Fish South Dakota.
*My second doctors appointment and the first time I heard your heartbeat was June 25, 2003 with Dr. Besendorfer in Nephi Utah. Your heart was beating about 150 beats per minute.
*My third doctors appointment was July 23, 2003 with Dr Besendorfer in Nephi Utah.
*My second ultrasound was July 24, 2003. I found out that you are boy!
*My third ultrasound was August 12, 2003. It was with a specialist in Provo, Utah at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Your cute little foot was 3cm long. The reason for the ultrasound was because they thought things in your brain were measuring off and that you may be basically a vegetable, and they thought you had problems with your heart. Needless to say, you were perfectly healthy and fine other than the problem with your heart which they detected when you were a few years old.
*My fourth doctors appointment was August 21, 2003 with Dr. Besendorfer in Nephi Utah.
*I felt you move in my stomach when I was 16 weeks pregnant.

Dear Marshall,
You are the coolest boy I know. You inspire me. You make me want to be a better person.
I love seeing your smile daily. There has not been a day go by that you don't smile. Even when you were in the hospital after your heart surgery, you were full of life and running down the halls just 2 days post surgery. You are so handsome. You are an abundance of love. You are such a great example of Christ. You are full of love and joy. It just shines from you. There is not a person that you wouldn't accept or love, no matter how badly they may have hurt you. You have been through more than any 8 year old boy deserves to have been through. You are strong because of it. You have been through some of my hardest years with me, and now you are experiencing my best years with me. You are amazing. Ben, your sisters and I love you more than life itself. You are everything to us. You are an amazing son and brother. You are loved by SO many. Don't ever forget who you are. You are special. You are meant for greatness. Thanks for blessing my life with you being my son. We are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. We are blessed. Never forget to kneel down and pray. He is always there listening. And always remember that you can go to Ben and I about anything. We love you. Always have. Always will. Always hold the door open for people; it will never be uncool to do that no matter how many people stray away from being polite now days. Never be afraid to stand up for what you feel is right. Love your future wife and kids with all your heart. They will be your main purpose here on earth so treat them good. I know you will be the best husband and father thanks to the great example of Ben. We are blessed to have him and his great example in our lives. Play with your future kids every day. Create a close relationship with them from birth up. Always help your future wife take care of them. Never expect her to do it alone. This will benefit not just your future wife, but more importantly it will benefit your future children. Always remember to smile. Smile and say hi to strangers; it may just make their day. You never know what someone is going through, so never judge. Always forgive. Never question your self worth. You are so important. You can and will make a difference in many people's lives. Open your scriptures often; they will give you the guidance that no one else can in life. Always be polite. There will always be people who hurt you, and you will hurt others, so remember when you hurt someone how it felt when you were the one being hurt. Never let people push you around or tell you how to live your life. Just be happy. Life is too short to be miserable. Live life for the right reasons. Never give up easy. Better yet, never give up on what is right.
I know you will understand this advice much better when you are older, but just always remember these words of advice. I will be here everyday to help you through life. Ben and your sisters will always be here for you, too. We love you more than life itself.
So, Happy Birthday Marshall. You are amazing!

Love, Mom

(Click HERE to see his 7 year old birthday post)

I think the girls were just as excited as you were to have you open your gift. They helped me wrap your present and couldn't wait for you to open it.

You opened your present right before you and Madison headed out the door for school. You played with this present a few days and then it got tossed aside as Christmas approached and your new presents took precedence over your birthday toy.

For your birthday party Ben took you and 5 of your friends to fat jacks pizza and to the theater to watch Alvin and the Chimpmunks: Chipwrecked.

This is the box the pizza came in for your party.

 It was huge!

This box was almost as tall as Courtney when it was flipped like this.

 The pizza slices were huge!

 These are the cupcakes I made for your birthday party. I shaped them into an M for Marshall.

 This is the cake I made you on your actual birthday.

 The girls had fun eating the icing.

 Courtney was so sad because she got in trouble for taking her icing in the living room and getting it literally everywhere; the couch, the floor, etc...

She was so sad :(

 You on your birthday getting ready to blow out your candles.
Grandma and Grandpa Kouns were there along with Aunt Terrie, and cousins Shyanne and Dakota.

Happy Birthday, Marshall! We love you!