HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LORI!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My dear, sweet, younger sister, Lori, is celebrating her ??th birthday today, September 28th!

My Lori should really appreciate this birthday more than any other birthday that she has ever had before. Lori has been EXTREMELY ill for the past few months. Whenever a person has gone through as much pain and illness as she has, your birthday tends to mean MUCH more to you that they ever have before!

Lori was born on September 28th of 1967. She was born in Scott City. Our parents, Pat and Donna Lou Elder, and I, who was 6 at the time, brought her home just a few days later. Shortly after that, our notorious sisterly fights began. LOL!!!

Lori has always been very intelligent, kind, generous, loving and lovable. Whenever someone is in need, Lori goes out of her way to help. Lori has a wonderful sense of humor! Even on your darkest days, Lori will find a way to not only make you smile but to laugh as well. Lori has always been a peace keeper.

In junior and senior high, she proved herself to be an amazing singer as well as an extremely talented trombone player. Because of these attributes, she was given a full scholarship to Southwest Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She remained there for several years until we discovered that Daddy was battling cancer which ultimately was lost to defeat. Lori came right home as soon as Daddy received his diagnosis and moved back into their home to do whatever she could to help Daddy. Daddy wanted and needed her support tremendously. We all needed her.

It was during that time that she met and fell head over heels in love with Mr. Leif Christensen. Leif had left his home country of Denmark in 1981 and had come to the United States. Within a few months of their courtship, Leif and Lori were married.

We lost Daddy on April 29th of 1995. A few days later, a laboratory test confirmed that Lori was expecting a baby. Unfortunately, Daddy never got to know that his grandson was on his way. Lori gave birth to her son, Lars, on December 5th of 1995. Lars has been the sunshine of his Mama's life ever since.

Today, Lori is a stay-at-home mom who homeschools her son, takes care of family and home and is also a very dedicated member of the Leoti City Council. When I said "takes care of her family", I don't just mean Leif and Lars. I mean she helps her stepchildren who mean the world to her, her grandchildren, her mother, sisters, nephews, nieces,etc.

Lori is a totally outstanding and selfless person. If you never get to know Lori on a personal level, you're really missing out on someone who is as special as they get...

This coming Saturday, several of our dearest people will be coming together at our house to celebrate Lori's big day as well as our daughter-in-laws birthday. We can hardly wait!!!

Happy birthday, Lori!!! We love you lots and lots and...

VLE-B