our family would...

 

look closely...

 

 

our tree topper is likely to evoke strong feelings of either like, or dislike....depending on your feelings about wrestling. 

 

and that's ok....wishing you all a blessed Christmas season that is filled with Real peace and joy and rest~ from our family to yours.

speedy book worm

Adam is surprising me in many ways these days.  so, i'll share some precious moments from the past few weeks.  first, the awards luncheon for the Sarnia Roadrunners, a monthly running group our family has membership with.  Adam decided to steal the show that afternoon.  most of our crew took home a trophy for winning their respective age category, however, with awe and amazement Adam accepted the Best Athlete award, a large trophy that he may keep for one year and then return in time for someone else to receive it at the end of the 2013 season.  Mr. Crawford (below~aka the nicest man) chose Adam, he said, because of his perfect attendance, his consistent improvement in race times, as well as his increase in race distance from 1 km to 3 km.  let's just say, with great humility, that Adam can whip my butt at the peak of his training season when he's also preparing for the school cross country race.  nice.  moving on....

can i freeze you in time, my son??  cuz i really like this age.  and i like your new fondness of ties too...

Adam also loves a good book.  and cozy Saturdays when the kitchen counter is fair game and long johns are optional all day long, if you wish...

talking teeth and hair

big changes here lately in the appearance of my two brown boys.  Hudson's front tooth finally wiggled free enough for me to get my grip and execute one swift tug, suffer through the very loud "pop" that still gives me shivers, and out it came....he was so pleased.  he never flinches a bit and consoles me as i recover from my least favourite job ever~ pulling teeth.  (well, hold it...toilet training is still worse...)  it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me...but you gotta do what you gotta do, i guess. 

 

haha...he's trying so hard to smile in such a way that displays the hole up front, and that's the best we could get...

then, a few days later we finally set aside some time (think one whole hour!!) to tackle AJ's hair.  it was time.  when his head starts to look more like a collection of lint then you've probably left it too long.  and we had.  but we also knew it was a slow job and so last Sunday we sat and began what must be very similar to shearing a sheep.  literally, his hair was so thick~ it required first a scissors cut and then a slow go-over with the clippers. 

the end result was pretty precious, we think.  it always seems to make his eyes pop even more...now he can wear a winter hat and not suffer from "hat head" for the rest of the day.  it's pretty sweet.  funny how it brought him right back to looking like he did when we first brought him home.  he's thrilled.  anything to look more like his big brother is good to him.  he'll randomly throughout the day announce "i like my new haircut"...."me too, AJ, me too"

just a cute photo that hopefully never becomes reality

national adoption month

another year, another November...another chance to grow a moustache recognize National Adoption Month.  and yet another time that i don't recall how i addressed this last year on this blog.  oh well...no time to go sifting through the archives.  if i'm repeating myself, it must be important....we are highlighting this at our church this week, so it seemed the perfect time to feature it here as well.  because i'm so passionate about adoption and orphan care, i often wonder if people assume that i think everyone should adopt.  believe it or not~ i don't!  really, truly, adoption is not for everyone.  i do, however, feel that every living breathing person with a beating heart should take up the cause to help care for those that need a voice, need a family, need to be loved.  this, of course, can take on many different forms.  and it just so happens there is something for everyone! :) 

Isaiah 1:17 says "Learn to do right: seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless..."

how do i do this, you ask?  easy peasy, lemon squeasy....here are ten ways you can care for an orphan and waiting child...(taken from Christian Alliance for Orphans orphan care Sunday site)
1.  you can pray for them. (stick a waiting child's picture on your dashboard or fridge as a reminder)
2.  speak up for them. (pass the word about waiting kids you might know of~ there are 30,000 right here in Canada)
3.  provide for their needs. (give to a reputable orphanage.  i know one!  God's Littlest Angels in Haiti.  volunteer with your local CAS)
4.  support those who support them. (mow a lawn, babysit, offer a meal for foster parents.  pray for them, offer encouragement)
5.  protect them from harm. (become a foster parent or emergency foster parent)
6.  visit them where they are. (go on a mission trip~ look into the eyes of an orphan)
7.  give sacrificially to them. (support reputable organizations that are actively trying to alleviate the plight of the orphan and help "end the wait" for these children)
8.  encourage them to press on. (sponsorship, letter writing)
9.  adopt them into your family.
10. mobilize your church for them.

here are a few more links~ great resources and options available for anyone interested in lots of good information.

http://waitingtobelong.ca/
http://www.abbacanada.com/default.aspx

happy National Adoption Month!

i had a moment

i had a moment on Tuesday morning.  the kind of moment you wish you could freeze-frame in your brain and forever remember the details that truly made it, well...."a moment".  i didn't get to blogging that day (or even the next) to mark it in time, and i know that a select few of you were probably wondering where i'd gone...i should never have made myself so predictable....
anyway, i was standing by the coffee pot shortly after 7 am, sipping that first swallow of hot coffee.  nothing like the first sip, is there?  comforting delicious bliss that represents warmth, routine, sweetness, abundance, promise of the day ahead, and simply, "gezellig" goodness....so, yah...i was standing there, mostly awake and ready to tackle the day with coffee in hand.  there were kids to get moving, to feed, and out the door for school. 
enter~ AJ....little AJ in his blue "onesie" fleece pj's with covered feet and zippered front.  he walked into the brightness of the kitchen with squinty eyes and hair matted in an upward position with flat, patted down sides.  he must primarily sleep on his side.  there's a certain way he holds his mouth with his teeth showing and upper lip and nose kind of scrunched up.  he softly said "hi mom" and i simultaneously scooped him up into my arms.  he wrapped his legs around my hips and we snuggled there for a moment.  and it hit me.  sometimes i miss those opportunities, i know i do.  but that Tuesday, that moment i was 100% aware and present.  i said out loud in my head (does that make sense?? :)  well it does to me....) "what if i had missed this??"  it is just so hard to imagine...for almost two years AJ has graced our family with his sweet spirit and funny ways.  he fits.  yet, just over two and a half years ago (and all the years before) i didn't even know of the three year old boy that was about to intersect our world in every way that is good.  and only two years ago we were waiting on final paperwork to be processed to return to Ethiopia to bring him home. 
so, the morning hug~ it was meaningful.  it was a moment.  i'm blessed. 

lately

been busy around here lately....pumpkins, costumes, candy. 

 

i love fall and always have, but am a lot less fond of Halloween.  the volume of candy consumption, quite honestly, annoys me.  possessing costume creativity for the little tricker-treaters in this family is never a strong point.
 

 

somehow it all comes together every year... 

i'm happy when the 31st has come and gone.  yet, even in saying all of that, it is always fun seeing their excitement~ to see them having real and silly fun.  plus, the Reece's peanut butter cups my sweeties share with me help to soften my bad attitude a little as well....good thing....

one of the annual Halloween highlights for our crew is the wild and crazy church Harvest Party, followed by a trip to the house of a sweet couple, N&R.  our kids also refer to Mrs. N as "the nice lady"~ because one who is generous with candy must be nice, right?  :)  beyond the candy, she really is a beautiful example of someone who truly understands and loves the joy of giving.  every year she spoils our six (and even Jeff and I get a bag with something wonderful inside.  who does that????) with personal and creative bags made up of Halloween treasures.  this year the kids each got a bottle of Jones soda.  this is special stuff.  a real step up from the Kroger brand pop they are accustomed to.  AJ just about flipped his lid with excitement as he consumed this the next evening during supper. 

want a sip???  look closely, dear readers.....backwash much, AJ? 

that's more than backwash, that's nearly half a hamburger bun in the neck of that bottle...not to mention the floaties in the remaining orange soda.  gulp.  feeling a bit nauseous here, and he's my son....

so, as the carved pumpkins find their final resting place among the compost pile, it is time to shift gears to the approaching holiday season.  so much more worth celebrating, in my opinion.  and very soon the sights and sounds of Christmas will be evident through our home....love it!!!  might go dig out my CD's right now...

yonas

about Yonas....it's been a while since i updated this blog with news of Yonas.  for those few that have been reading ever since i first introduced Yonas to the original blog, bless your hearts for staying the course here at my family's own cyber journal...you must be saints. 
as some are aware, a group of families around us have all joined hearts and resources to share with this child on the continent of Africa.  he was in need of hope~ and i do believe he now possesses it.  that makes me smile.  a lot.  Yonas has a team of sponsors that desire to cloth him, feed him, provide for his ARV medications to be purchased, send him to school, etc.  they also pray for him, have sent letters and pictures to him, and continue to care for him even though he's a world away.  this is a beautiful thing....
yet, back when Yonas was first reached by the organization that cared for our AJ, his first desire was clearly communicated to the director doing the interviewing.  Yonas wishes for a family.  a forever family.  he hasn't known that in a very long time, if ever at all. 
so began the arduous phase of stone turning~ trying to find somehow, someway, someone who would give this kid a shot.  the latest development is the first real bit of progress seen in almost two full years.  introducing....Project Hopeful.  a friend of mine (thank-you D!!) mentioned this organization early on, and i contacted them about Yonas.  after much back and forth, just last week they posted Yonas under their "Waiting Kids" section, including this bio...

DOB: 1999
HIV+
Yonas lost both of his natural parents at an early age, to what is believed to be AIDS. He was recently (last November) diagnosed as HIV+ himself, and seems to be stabilizing very nicely on ARV meds since diagnosis. He is currently living with caregivers who provide shelter, but little more than that. They do not have the intentions or capability to care for him long term and they desire to find a permanent solution for Yonas. Yonas has expressed his heart's desire to be adopted
into a forever family. Yonas wishes to grow up and become a doctor, and when we met him we noticed his written English was excellent. He is a warm and smiley boy, yet his eyes reveal a short lifetime full of loss and weariness. When allowed to play with a soccer ball on the street, or perform
a dance routine with friends (he's got moves!) for our video camera, he was animated and fun and so delightful. He stole our hearts, and I'm certain if given the chance a family would be most blessed to call him their son!

as i've mentioned to his sponsors, this is a stretch from a purely human perspective.  there are many children under the Africa section, all with a personal story, all deserving a family.  this is a sad and difficult web site to visit.  these children are the most desperate ones.  the hopeless, the vulnerable, the forgotten.  yet, there is Hope.  hope with a capital H.  Hope for Yonas and others because now their stories are out there on the world wide web.  prospective adoptive parents can go there and register and read and see these kids.  and besides, God doesn't need a web site anyway.  this is a useful tool, yes.  but ultimately, i really don't know what the future holds for Yonas.  only his Maker does.  He has a plan, and it may just be to stay in country, to grow up in Ethiopia with sponsorship families stepping in for him until his future is more clear.  i don't know.  i do know that His plan is always best, and we will simply advocate for Yonas until the need is no longer there.  i will pray for a family for Yonas~ as this is his desire.  i will wait and trust and hope you will do the same.

thanks for reading, thanks for caring.  i will keep you posted...

 

 

 

autumn

not sure how it happened that every fall i get to witness the beautiful metamorphosis of three gorgeous trees lining my driveway.  seriously, these three are some of the nicest on the street.  great idea planting these, Mom and Dad...little did you know that one day your youngest would completely enjoy the incredible orange and red hues in the fall, and in the spring~ pink blossoms bursting forth, looking like yummy popcorn balls.

the pictures don't do them justice.  i'm not a photographer, yet...at least...

 

plus, i'm a few days past the peak of their beauty as many leaves are beginning to fall as the wind and rain tug at them...regardless, you get the idea.  i love the seasons and the comfortable predictability of expected changes.  so pretty!

cross country

i'm not the mom who thinks my kids are perfect, flawless little creatures who can do no wrong.  sometimes i confess to feeling disappointment in their choices or persistent hang-ups.  i'm sure they feel the same about me.  it's real life~ every day.  we all have room to grow...i have a lot of room, to be sure....but this day, the 2012 St. Clair Catholic District School Board's elementary cross country meet in Canatara Park, was not a day for disappointment.  my three kids showed up...BIG TIME!  and because i'm honest about shortcomings i think it's only fair to show pride in genuine accomplishments.  Miss Layla was first to run, and this was her first meet.  the air was crisp and removing her coat at the start line was not an easy task. 

 

 

 104 girls set off for the trail and Layla's red shirt was lost in the sea of competitors. but not at the finish line...no, not there. to our wonder and complete surprise the first shirt we saw rounding the corner at the end of the race was that of our feisty daughter. she crossed the line FIRST, and both Jeff and I were sort of speechless. i think Layla was stunned herself, and cried a few tears of emotional release for what had just transpired. plus, her hands were really cold...

 

i think the medal and ribbon helped her results sink in, and she was pretty pleased that she dug deep to finish strong.  she says she had a good idea she was in first when she passed a group of girls midway through the race, and then she held her own until the end.  wow...

 

below is adam with his teammates at the starting line.  i love Adam's growth this past year with his running ambitions.  he now whips me in the monthly 3 km race we do with the RoadRunners club (humbling....just a bit).  this past Saturday was no different.  he seems to be more excited about the sport than ever and ran like a champ.  he crossed the line 14th for his age group~ and that was out of 60 competitors.  awesome work, Adam!!!  love to see your effort and drive developing.

 

Miss Hannah...equally amazing to us on this day.  anyone who knows Hannah also knows we have some battles about participation in certain, fairly typical, sporting events that are open to girls her age.  she tends to resist for lots of different reasons.  this sport~ cross country, is one she seems to enjoy.  she attended practice faithfully without complaint and the trail runs are definitely her favourite. 

 

well...she brought it this year and improved greatly from the previous meet and standings. she flew across the line in 13th place with a look of strength and determination that was so fun to see. approximately 50 girls were in her category. 

 

 

once our feet thawed and our body temperatures returned to normal, we could look back on the morning in the park with great satisfaction.  there was great sportsmanship from the TCA competitors and a stronger overall finish than ever with lots of personal bests....

let it be known L, A, and H~ i'm so proud of you for giving your best!!! 

**note** some pictures are blurry because of the pure speed of the person captured in photograph. :)

 

thanksgiving

so much to be thankful for.  crazy blessed.  here are just a few.....
jesus. coffee. legs that carry me. 39 years of life. childhood memories. pizza. jeff. eyes. long-standing friendships. clean sheets. hot baths. my van. joelle. loving parents.  in-laws i love. pumpkin spice lattes. church family. hannah. sons and daughters, both. peace. joy. music. energy and strength. orange/red painted trees. adam. mum pots. candles. running water. working furnace. comforters and quilts. flannel sheets. pumpkin pie. layla. laughter. tears. affordable education. opportunity. choices. love. birthdays. hudson. vacations. hot meals. full fridge and freezer. working toilets. medication in well stocked pharmacies. aj. siblings and their families. shared moments with cousins. ears. like-minded husband. teachers that care. each new day. freedom. pumpkin anything. forgiveness and grace. a good book. a mom that taught me.  a dad that provided. parents that were there. laugh-out-loud moments. kids that talk in their sleep. an overflowing laundry basket. warm clothing. unconditional love. grandparents that are involved. basketball. soft pillows. comfy couch. wrestling. hugs. turkey. sweet potatoes. a crackling fire. God's promises. left-overs. soft towels. knit slippers (yep, that's a shameless hint, B!). blogs. noisy bustle around the kitchen. quiet moments.

that was easy.  how about you?

hope your thanksgiving was filled with gratitude...

energy outlet

can you guess which child of ours looovvveeessss his weekly trampoline class?  the pictures below are from last month, about the time we started adding up the crazy number of hours Hudson spent jumping each summer day.  then my sister-in-law gave me the idea of registering him for a trampoline class at the local gymnastics club.  we did, and he loves it...

this guy hops and jumps and runs for the entire 60 minutes, glancing over at the window from where i watch, giving me a thumbs up when he sticks a landing or tries a variation of his flip.  he is agile and daring.

the trampoline has proven to be a great energy outlet for a boy who is boundlessly active and busy. 

i wouldn't say the instructional class has been super technical or even teaching much that he doesn't already do, but sometimes it is just fun to have something that you love to do and can look forward to at the end of a long school day.  and he does!  that's nice to see...

it's a wrap!

well, our final birthday of 2012 has come and gone.  we went out with a bang.  AJ was delighted with turning five and all that goes with the celebration of a birthday. it's the first year he really seemed to get it.  some highlights are the annual tradition of receiving Dutch candy (and the doling out to siblings with a "very-happy-to-be-in-control-finally" tone and "ok, fine..." approach), the opening of presents, the cake with sparklers (aka rocket blasters) and the party with family....it really was fun.  i loved seeing him bask in the joy of it all...so, before the birthday pics are shared, a couple from two years ago for the sake of comparison...

can't imagine life without this sweet blessing...just one click of a mouse on the above "attachment" and i was smitten forever.  staring at the stoic expression of my son, knowing not of the deep dimples that lie hidden on each brown squishy cheek...or the crazy way he'd add pure delight to our lives. 

 

above is our last update picture we received from the orphanage, October 2010.

 

all things considered, honourable mention goes to a big brother who did a pretty great job that day of celebrating with AJ and being happy for him with his gifts.  your birthday is first up next year, Hudson!

 

 

 

 

so, i can breathe a bit again...always a crazy run~ that August-September stretch, yet i'm never without the knowledge that i'm truly, 100% blessed to be able to have children to celebrate with.  to have them reach milestones and get older.  to have them to shop for and plan parties with.  to host family and friends, again and again, to mark the occasions.  it is all great and i'm super thankful~ and maybe a smidge tired. :)  also thankful for a two month reprieve until December...

gotcha day

the paragraph below captures our thoughts on Hudson's sixth "gotcha day"...an excerpt from a letter i gave him last week, Sept. 11th, 2012.

 

"wow, it seems like just yesterday that Dad and I were arriving in Haiti to meet you for the very first time.  to celebrate your adoption day and to finally hold you in our arms.  we anxiously stepped off the plane in Port au Prince to feel the blast of hot air blow against our faces.   we felt the heat immediately~ just one of the ways we were instantly aware that we had arrived in a different place.  your birth country.  so amazing and beautiful and hard and different than anything we'd ever experienced.  we walked the steps through the craziness of the airport and to our ride, taking the exciting trip up the mountain to finally arrive at the gate of GLA.  we tried to help unload our luggage from the back of the vehicle, but the wonderful staff said "no, let us do this....you go and meet your son!"  oh.my.heart. we were soooo ready for that day.  we'd watched you grow through a year of monthly update pictures we cherished.  we’d waited over two years for you!    when we walked into the orphanage and LaDawn spoke to you and told you we were your mama and papa~ it was magical to see you toddle over and come right into our arms, to even lean in and give us a kiss!!!  so thankful God led us to you, and you to us!  such a miracle and sign of God’s goodness and love and care for the most basic desires of our hearts…."

 

we love you, son!!!  never forget, k? 

happy gotcha day!!

brothers

love these moments.  want to freeze them in time.  rare, they are...which is why i need to catch them in a photograph....so i did!

 

firstborn

the day joelle finally decided to be born (12 looonnnnggggg days late) is still etched in my mind.  lots of little details still there as crisp as if it were only a year ago.  instead of the FIFTEEN years it really has been......in.sane.i.say (think~ whirlwind...)  i was 24 and strangely enough felt completely ready for the massive transition into parenthood.  i was deliriously thrilled with our beautiful baby girl.  not to mention the near perfect behaviour she brought home from the hospital.  for some weird reason this baby went super easy on us (on night four she slept through the night.  i just about passed out in fear when i woke the next morning, sure i'd find her non-responsive in her cradle...).  we pretty much resumed life as normal once we brought her home, and joelle was carted around to hockey arenas, restaurants, parties, etc...we'd sometimes take an after-dinner nap together, all three of us on the bed.  joelle on Daddy's chest, scrunched up and cozy...

it was bliss.  really truly, it was.  especially now when i consider the times i often crave an after-dinner nap....she lived the toddler years much like she seems to be living her teenage years.  she captured each day to the fullest.  she played hard.  she was independent and confident and could often be found in her room with stuffed animals surrounding her while she read them a story.  this was pre-siblings, so you work with what you have, i guess...

if she hadn't been "an easy kid", or if, say, one or two others in our family had been born first, we may not have been as quick to jump on the "let's have a large family" bandwagon...."this is a piece of cake", we thought..."we'll have a house full!!".....hahaha....well, they haven't all been easy-breezy, but the house full is worth the exhaustion and the variety in personalities offers gray hair spice and flavour to the mix, for sure...they are all works in progress, as am i. 
happy birthday to my "carpe diem" kid.  keep seizing each moment.  we love, love, love that about you!!  wishing you a super fun year of growing and developing into just who God made you to be.  thanks for breaking us in to parenting in a way that made having a Basset Hound named Josee seem crazy hard compared to a newborn baby....(so sorry Josee, but the ingested tomatoes from the prized garden followed by the "digested" blowout all through our kitchen/hallway floor and seeping under our baseboard was the last straw....we found you a new family who had strength to take on your issues....R.I.P....)
love ya Joelle!

Layla's turn

yep....another birthday.  perhaps these posts are getting old to some, but when i'm trying to log milestones, this is certainly one of them!  so bear with me....two more to go... :)

sweet Layla is nine.  she is officially into her last year of single digits.  and when flipping through old photos to post there is no shortage of cute ones to pick from.  for some reason she seems to have the most!  i almost picked the photo of her as a baby wearing angel wings, but then that would be a little too funny for those that really know Layla....Layla is lots of things, but angelic isn't often the characteristic that comes to mind.  honestly (because this blog must be honest), she is a paradox of sorts.  she is delightfully sweet, and fiercely feisty all on the same day.  she is loud and bubbly or she is low and pouty.  she is sun and rain, she is salt and pepper, she is hot and cold....you get the idea, right?  consistently, thank goodness, there are some pretty spectacular qualities within this daughter of mine (ours).  Layla is a thinker and feels deeply when others are hurting.  she processes information, asks lots of questions, and prays earnestly for those that suffer.  she cares about her faith and wants others to share her trust in Jesus.  she asks anyone and everyone if they believe.  i wish i had her boldness.  it is beautiful to see, and i hope she holds on to this passion.  she loves to communicate~ with adults and kids alike.  she smiles and laughs lots and is such a little spark plug in this misfit group that is us.  keep shining, my Lolita...

 

these two pictures are at the top of my list....

 

so, this was Layla's year for a friend party and the sun appeared right on cue.  so thankful for that!  it was hot and humid and she played with her friends for the afternoon...water balloons in the pool and on the trampoline added a new element of fun.

 

it's a good thing the cupcakes are all finally consumed~ now i'm back to my healthy breakfast! :) no, i'm not joking...

future jay's pitching staff?? (not soon enough for them, unfortunately)

i don't know what the future holds, but who of us does?  in the meantime, however, it's wonderful to see this young boy dream of a future in baseball.  he struts onto the field with a certain swag.  he loves to imitate the intricate behaviours of a typical pro-baseball player.  he swings his bat like he watches the great ones do.  he spits and throws and mimics the mannerisms he's picked up from the hours of Blue Jays baseball that fill many evenings in our home.  he was precious to watch in action, both during practice here in the backyard and during Saturday mornings with his team, the Wyoming Twins.

baseball wasn't really on our radar for Hudson.  not that it couldn't or shouldn't have been, but it's a sport that never came up with any of our older kids, or even for Jeff or myself as kids.  my parents suggested they'd love to see him try a season and wanted to be involved, so naturally this was an offer that was welcomed and accepted.  so glad they had the idea, because Hudson loved everything about it. 

Just missing this pitch...but great swing anyway...

the season has just recently wrapped up, but without fail during the season Hudson would jump out of bed on Saturday mornings with excitement and energy (well, more than usual, i mean...) to burn on the field.  he loved looking the part in his baseball pants, team shirt and hat.  he loved to wooo the spectators and flash his smile and give the nod to the fans.....he loved being the show.  and why not?? 

because there on the field he is focused and growing and developing.  growing in more than the expected and obvious ways of receiving and hitting a pitch, catching a ball and tagging a runner, etc....but learning to play as part of a team, to receive instruction from a coach in a fun and positive environment, to focus out field and follow the rules of the game, to harness his energy for times of appropriate outlet....

it was really all good, and i'm so glad he's experienced baseball this summer.....so while it isn't exactly the big leagues yet, it's been really big to Hudson, and that's pretty priceless...

adam

what i wouldn't give for just one more day of Adam like this....not because now, being 11, isn't wonderful, because it is, but the squishy cuteness of age three is pretty amazing, and even though i really feel like i savoured those days they passed in a whirlwind like a thunderstorm that blows through on a summer day.  here and gone before you know it. 

yes, Adam was next in line for the string of August/September birthdays and it was a joy to celebrate him this week.  as i told him, more than ever he's reminding me of his dad.  he makes me laugh out loud so unexpectedly.  he has a heart of compassion and this is especially evident in his gentleness with small children.  he would be a fantastic primary teacher~ if i didn't think he'd be an even better engineer, that is...he is such a thinker and always inspiring me with the way he can assemble or disassemble something or problem solve when something isn't working right.  he is great with his youngest brother (especially) and i love to watch him play in the pool with AJ or read him stories.  good for my heart...can't wait to see what the future holds for him.  Adam Jeffrey~ we love you loads!!!  hope your birthday was fun and your upcoming year even better!

oh, and nice "six packs" boys.  i can kind of make them out...maybe i just needed to zoom in a bit more...