Happy 17th!

This fun loving, robust little baby is now 17!

Funny,

He still gets energetic at 10 pm, making him a night owl,

those were the very red socks that tainted an entire load of white clothes.

 

I can still count on him helping and being responsible,

though he doesn't carry around a sippy cup full of milk 

and wear only a diaper and a tank top.

We always knew that he would need a trip to the emergency room before his third birthday....and then once again before his fourth. We waited 5 hours for the plastic surgeon to stitch 13 stitches into his upper lip. And then another 7 in his chin.

He still enjoys a good hike.

He loves to hike out front. I think it is more that he doesn't have any

patience to hike behind the rest of us.

I love my boy.

I never knew what it would be like to be looking up to my little boy.

 This is living proof that Jared really was once shorter than Daphne.

A handsome guy with a huge smile.

Happy Birthday Jared!

Our friends the Summits put together a fantastic surprise party for Jared.
The teens from Star Academy (our homeschool co-op) had a great time. 
The kids really enjoy being together.
Even Victoria got a chance to hang out with her friends that night.



16????

 Happy Birthday Jared!

I love this picture of my boys.

This reflects who they were and pretty much

who they still are.

You can see it in this picture of how much Kaleb looks up to his big brother.

I remember that it was really windy at the beach that day and a little chilly.
I can almost hear the waves crashing and smell the air.

I think Kaleb was holding onto Jared to keep from blowing away.
His pillar of strength. His hero.

My boys have a bond that comes naturally.
Jared has had many lessons in living up to that big brother role that
Kaleb has put him in.  He had no choice but has received the privelage gracefully.
Well, sometimes.

Our handsome Jared is 16, taller than both his parents
(which says a lot for both Kirk and I being 6 foot)
and ready to drive.

He already knows how to drive us all crazy, especially his littlest sister.

So I guess he could try his hand at driving a vehicle.

After much debate, Jared chose cheesecake for his cake of choice.

If you know Jared then you know how painful it is to make a decision.

Once we got the "cheesecake" part down, he had to decide

which kind.

That was painful too.  For me.......that is.

He finally decided on Turtle Cheesecake.

Then Victoria became very worried. 

She became concerned that turtles would be harmed in the process.

I assure you that no turtles were harmed,

just pecans, caramel, chocolate and lots of cream cheese.

No More Braces!

Before....

and After...

No More Braces...here comes popcorn, corn on the cob, jelly beans and gum...

Jared is finally done with braces after 3 years...not bad...and bucko bucks later! 

It was worth every cent. I will have to find a before picture.  You will be amazed.

We had several people ask if we got his braces taken off because we were moving!

NO...you don't do those kinds of things when you invest almost $7000 out of your own pocket!

Please people...

It was actually time to take them off.  Another one of those "God things" that is all in his timing. 

Beautiful smile, handsome kid

Jared's Confirmation

When we started attending All Saints Lutheran Church, Jared was in the beginning of the 7th grade. Just in time to start Confirmation class. He had already been baptized twice, once as a baby and submersed as a tween. So starting Confirmation wasn't really part of a goal that any of us had at the time. Well, this class really turned out to be a significant goal for Jared and our family. This class stuck together for three years and completed their spiritual guidance to be Confirmed. They had lock-ins and retreats to solidify the relationships they were building and taught them everything there was to know about the Lutheran faith. Jared has watched more movies about Martin Luther than expected. I think he is the most "Lutheran" than any of us. I have grown to love the faith and the people. I like the structure and the people. Yeah, did I mention the people. They are different. Our family fits really well here. I hope and pray that Jared will soon recognize God's hand in his life everyday and that he really is beside him spiritually to love and bless him always. These are all abstract ideas to a young person. I am so thankful for him to received such an instruction as this Confirmation class. Pastor Phil once told us when the kids were really little. The Bible stand for " Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth". Isn't that what we all need? To read our Bibles and keep God close to us? Accepting his guidance and love for us? ...... P.S. The young lady in the bottom right hand corner, the cute girl with the glasses...Lane...I think they like eachother.... shhh! don't tell.

Happy birthday Jared!

Jared is 15!!!

I love this picture of him.

It is hard sometimes to catch him

genuinely smiling.

I love it!

He is a really great kid. He is growing into a really nice young man. I can't wait to see who he becomes. When he was little his favorite thing to say was

"God don't make junk".

His favorite song that he would sing over and over again was... "stand on the rock, for the word of God" and he would stomp his foot down on the ground like he was stomping a rock.

He would laugh hysterically over a

"blue footed booby".

It just struck him funny and would end up making all of us laugh with him.

When he was a toddler in the church nursery he would step on the crawling babies backs and push them to the ground like little bugs to watch them get back up on all fours to crawl again. ( I didn't know about that one for quite a while. ) He pretty much made us unwelcome in a Mommy's group because he loved to make dirt clouds by scuffing his feet. I guess the other Mothers didn't like that their children getting dirty. I couldn't make him stop. He was deeply facinated by the rising dust in the air. I learned to tolerate dirt. Now he is a clean, responsible, dependable guy who people enjoy being around. He doesn't have a dust cloud hanging around him anymore but if something is going to fall off the counter or break I can guarantee you that he is pretty close by with that look of "how the heck did that happen...I wasn't even near it!"