March Madness
In the world of public accounting, January through April 15 is typically an extremely busy season. Our family life has evolved to a place where we have learned to anticipate chaos regularly, but especially during this period of time. Tim's schedule gets crazier, with later nights and more days...just plain more hours each week, so it goes without saying that it is not the easiest time of the year to have lots of extra things going on. But...we do...have extra things going on: in four weeks time, we celebrate four birthdays and the tax world doesn't care...but we do. Tim says God gave us four tax season birthdays to keep him in check and remind him what is important. It may get crazy, but we would never miss any of them!
Joseph kicks of the birthday-palooza at the tail end of February. He was supposed to arrive much, MUCH earlier than that. (Just sayin')
Important statistics: Height: 48.5 inches. Weight: 65 lbs. Shoe size: 4 Clothing size: 8-10. You continue to share a room with Ben and you're happy to sleep on the bottom bunk. You insist of a song...minimum of one verse every night before you can go to sleep. Happy 7th birthday Joe. We're so glad you were born!!
Four days later, we do it all again!
Joshua turned 14 this year. FOURTEEN! Last year he turned ten, so I'm not sure how this happened! :) We were in Scottsbluff on your birthday this year...you should feel EXTRA special since so many family members got to help you celebrate #14!
As you begin your 14th year, you are taller than me--but only by an inch or less! You wear a size 11 shoe, are proud of the dime-size patch of hair on your chin and remain a standout athlete. You've made your high school schedule, are finishing out the last days of junior high and continue to work on winning souls for Christ all the time.
Perhaps one of the most special parts of this year's celebration for you was getting to share it with your Great Grandpa.
We had the privilege of celebrating G. Grandpa's 90th birthday with him just two days before yours! Seventy-six years separate the two of you!!
I am so very glad that my kids get to know my grandparents! I was fortunate enough to have all of my adolescent life with MY great grandparents.
Ninety! That's a remarkable milestone! He "retired" years ago, but still hasn't stopped working!
Happy birthday Grandpa...we look forward to many more birthdays to celebrate with you!
One week exactly and we get to celebrate yet again! Benjamin turned 9 this year. You have always eagerly anticipated your birthday Ben! Your request this year was simple: a red and white cake. It seems that this third birthday always finds me with the least amount of energy and time. I hope that changes, but you just roll with it and are always thrilled with whatever comes your way
Clearly, shirts have always been optional...maybe everyone is growing out of them too fast. Ben, at nine, you stand 4 ft, 6 inches and weigh 70 pounds. You wear a size 10 pants and 6 shoe. You are still eager to do all that your big brothers do...bringing home books from the library that are years ahead of you, learning the same video games--and I think you could actually tutor them on some--and you know all there is to know about playing football and baseball! :) Your laugh remains ever contagious.
Happy birthday Benjamin!! We are SO glad you were born!!
...and then exactly two weeks later, there is Millie! She very patiently waits through all of the previous birthdays, and this year I think the anticipation just continued to grow!
The dimples are a little deeper on this particular morning, but every morning you have a smile when you wake up.
At five, you are super shy, and super confident all in the same 15 minutes. You are perfectly happy and capable of playing all by yourself all day long, but thoroughly enjoy any opportunity there is to play "honey" or "boyfriend" (I'm not loving that one yet, but it's still pretty funny), or dress up, or coloring with a friend. I've been accused of spoiling you, but I like to think of it as something different. You and I have gotten lots of one-on-one time together and even though I'm going to miss that, I'm so excited for you as you eagerly anticipate beginning Kindergarten next year.
Your stats: 42 inches tall, 45 pounds, size 11 shoe and 5-6 clothing. Five years also introduced a bit of sassy-ness that we hope leaves as fast as it came. You're going to be a natural leader--or a natural miss bossy-pants.
Joseph kicks of the birthday-palooza at the tail end of February. He was supposed to arrive much, MUCH earlier than that. (Just sayin')
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| Birthday treats for classmates at school. |
Four days later, we do it all again!
Joshua turned 14 this year. FOURTEEN! Last year he turned ten, so I'm not sure how this happened! :) We were in Scottsbluff on your birthday this year...you should feel EXTRA special since so many family members got to help you celebrate #14!
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| Pretty sure you were NOT sleeping, rather waiting for us to deliver your breakfast. :) |
As you begin your 14th year, you are taller than me--but only by an inch or less! You wear a size 11 shoe, are proud of the dime-size patch of hair on your chin and remain a standout athlete. You've made your high school schedule, are finishing out the last days of junior high and continue to work on winning souls for Christ all the time.
We had the privilege of celebrating G. Grandpa's 90th birthday with him just two days before yours! Seventy-six years separate the two of you!!
One week exactly and we get to celebrate yet again! Benjamin turned 9 this year. You have always eagerly anticipated your birthday Ben! Your request this year was simple: a red and white cake. It seems that this third birthday always finds me with the least amount of energy and time. I hope that changes, but you just roll with it and are always thrilled with whatever comes your way
...and then exactly two weeks later, there is Millie! She very patiently waits through all of the previous birthdays, and this year I think the anticipation just continued to grow!
Your stats: 42 inches tall, 45 pounds, size 11 shoe and 5-6 clothing. Five years also introduced a bit of sassy-ness that we hope leaves as fast as it came. You're going to be a natural leader--or a natural miss bossy-pants.
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| I'm thinking that I must be getting lazier with each of my birthdays...no longer striving for the birthday morning picture that everyone looks reasonable in. Oh well, we will still take them! |
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| Celebrating with neighborhood friends. Notice that Amelia didn't (and hasn't recently) gotten a homemade cake. She doesn't care, and is typically thrilled with the trinkets that come on top of them anyway! Amelia wraps up our version of March Madness...Happy Birthday Amelia! We are so glad you were born!!! |
