Fifteen

Happy 15th Birthday to Jonathan!  I guess we modify once the kids are in high school when it comes to birthday celebrations.  It seems there is always something going on and I think this time we went out for dinner the night before Jon's birthday in anticipation that he would be at basketball practice at 6 am on his birthday...no one including Jon wanted to have breakfast in bed at 5:15 am!
 We don't typically go out for birthdays anymore because, well, because there are 11 of us and that's a lot of going out, especially when you tack them onto the normal eating out that may occur.  Birthdays in our house go like this:  breakfast of choice (or mom's choice) on the celebrate plate in bed with all of the cards that have come in the mail from family...dinner at home of choice and cake of choice (or mom's choice--although I always ask permission to present a store-bought cake, which seems to happen more frequently as the years progress!)
 We don't do birthday presents--probably because throughout the year each child is usually getting all of the things that they need anyway and again...nine times a year plus Christmas and Easter just feels like a little much in the area of things they don't need.
 Jon's cake of choice is carrot.  WITHOUT raisins.  *eyeroll*  Carrot cake is amazing WITH raisins, but for him:  sans-raisins!

 Jon is awesome with his siblings.  I remember him telling me and everyone else that he was Amelia's surrogate parent!  He can engage them, redirect them, play at their level...Currently his thoughts for post-teenage life is to be a teacher.  I think that would suit him very well.
 He's also an outstanding athlete.  His freshman football season was fun to watch as he would run the ball for big yards over and over again.  He is fast--and strong!
 I tried several times to capture great photos, but with a toddler and a pregnant belly I was a little uncoordinated and struggled to have my camera ready.  Most of the time I couldn't get it focused fast enough to capture him break through the pack.

 Basketball is just as fun to watch.  He is a hustler and a great defender.  He is proving that where there is a will there is definitely a way.



Jon and Lauren have had their picture taken together since they were weeks old.  Their birthdays are days apart.  Now they're in high school together.  There was a time (one time) that Jon was taller than Lauren.  Someday Jon!!  Someday.
Happy 15th birthday Jonathan!  You are a solid kid.  Grounded in your faith, true to your passions, and just fun to be around.  We love you and you are our favorite Jonathan in the entire world.