feliz aniversário

This weekend, meu amor turned 35. 
His was last of the birthdays for awhile. Definitely not the least. 

{birthday call from Saudi}

With us leaving soon, he wanted to keep it low-key...
Low-key, as in build a fence,
swim in the pool, eat some cheesecake, laugh with friends. 
Friends who love them some photoshop.

my face swapped out for Paula Deen :)

 hiking with his look-alike, Jason Sudekis

 meeting Yoda (sorry, Rabi Maharaj)

 with Mr. T in Africa

 that used to be Jude he was holding

 lunch with the Queen (formally Jerry Bridges)

Justin Beiber on the bongos

We are still laughing about it all! (thanks B&B :)

Not sure how to follow that. Thought I'd write thirty-five things we love about him. But it got too personal, so it went in a card. I am so blessed by all the ways he loves and serves and loves and serves. 
Sometimes you get to be 35 and life looks different than what you thought it would be, you wonder if you are where you're supposed to be, if the difference you're wanting to make is the amount you meant it to be, if it's enough. 
When I look at this man - who he is and what he says and does in a day, I am honored to be by his side, to watch him succeed at this life before him.

To laugh often and love much; 

to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; 

to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; 

to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; 

to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, 

a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; 

to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; 

to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Love you, b! You make this world a better place. Happy 35...

and then there was juboo

You may be all birthday-posted out. I'm a little bit cake-decorated out. 

But we celebrated the last of the peas in our pod this week. 

Oh man, he had us long before he could say hello.

 

What a joy he is to watch grow, this child who...

...has chosen to sleep with a framed HS senior picture of me.

...loves singing Take me out to the Ballgame, Hallelujah! All I have is Christ, and Paradise by Coldplay.

...sings "Am I a muppet or am I a man?" at the top of his lungs, and it cracks me up every time!

...likes to play pet store, where he's a lizard and I come choose him and bring him home.

...says his favorite (of many nicknames) is JuBu. 

...refers to his brothers as "the Royuh boys."

...loves his "Bucket-filler book," and tells us when we're being bucket-fillers or bucket-dippers.

...wanted swim lessons for his birthday.

...also wanted to go to the dentist for his birthday "weally bad" (after Jack had gotten some cavities filled and got a prize from the dentist).

...started jumping off the diving board this week! (and was so excited to get his "very own can of coca-cola" for trying it!)

...woke up early on his birthday to help me decorate his Jay Ninjago cake. 

...and after it was all done, he said Jay needed a smile :)

What do you do when you finish decorating the cake and are leaving it behind to spend the day at the beach? You eat it for breakfast, that's what!

A few weeks ago, I realized I didn't have a single picture printed of Jude. No photo albums, no scrapbooks, nothing! So for his birthday, I put together a baby book of pictures and stories for him to read. Sometimes you don't realize what a whirlwind the last 4 years have been until you sit down and try to think about all that's happened in the last 4 years... 

I had forgotten that when we shared with Miles and Jack the news that we were going to have a baby, Miles asked me if I would have a man. Then Jack asked me if I could have a farmer and if he could drive a combine. And that the next day, Jack wondered if I could have a puppy instead of a baby. I also had forgotten that Miles wanted to name him "Ralphy" and Jack wanted to name him "Doodle." But I remembered wondering how a third would ever fit with the personalities of the other two. But, he fits. Oh, so perfectly. 
So, we named him Jude, which means "praise God." 
We praise and thank Him for such a precious gift.

To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before 

His glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God 

our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ 

our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

~ Jude 1.24-25

crazy.8

We were a little bit shocked as we held our 4 month old and saw 2 lines appear on a pregnancy test. I'm still learning how to take care of one...and now two? may have ran through my mind. But when that newborn son was laid into my arms 9 months later, I was overcome with tears of joy embracing this gift of life. We named him Jack, which means God is gracious.

The Lord knew. He knew we needed his laugh, his smile, his zeal and compassion and adventure and passion and wit. 

Jack turned 8 last week. 
All he wanted to do for his birthday was go fishing. Andy woke him up at 5.30 AM, he sprung out of bed, grabbed his fishing pole and off they went, just the 2 of them, to fulfill his birthday wish. He also told us "all I want for my birthday is a hug from everyone in my family." (I'm still giving him hugs for that :)
He's a great kid, that Jack!
So, like we do, we celebrated his life, God's grace, another year...

  

 

You, Jackson Paul, are a precious gift from God, delivered at just the right time. I pray you never lose your passion for justice, that you kindle the flame of compassion, that your heart delights to do what is right. And that wherever you are in this world, you know how dear you are to me. 
How blessed I am to be your mama,
..to see your eyes light up when you hear the good beat of a hip-hop song
..to find "patio" snuggled in your arms as you sleep
..to be asked every night to scratch your back before bed
..to laugh silly with you
..to watch you grow and explore and discover.

in case you like star wars

It's birthday season over here, celebrating adding another year to Jack's life tomorrow! Which reminds me that I never wrapped up our last one, in which I recruited a guest writer. He's 9 and likes Lego Star Wars, this party was to celebrate him 'cuz we love him so. And he's gonna take it from here.

in a galaxy not so far away.....

this is the penyata that our dad made. it was slimy.

look at all the food to eat!

look at the cake.

we made lightsaber,s.

epic battle agencet dad!

bace ball!

(:the talk:)

lego challange!

eatting the food with freinds!

battling the death star for candy!

the wish! of 9(:nine:)

silly kids!

i am glad to be nine!!!!!!!! miles.

We had fun, and most importantly, Miles felt celebrated and loved. With our boys' birthdays in May, June, July, I just started doing 1 party a year. Jude's party will be next year and Jack's was last year. I do enjoy planning and throwing a party. But I cherish the birthdays where it's us and the kids, just being with them. In honor of Jack's birthday, we spent today at one of our favorite places. 

More to come on that, and the many ways I adore our 8 yr. old.

But I've got a cake that needs to transform into a fish.