I wanted to give the kids some sense of where they came from, but hardly no where to start. Jay and I have a huge family, we have 8 brothers and sisters between us. I thought I would start with my sisters. My oldest sister, Brenda, on the left with her two children Harley and AJ. Then Michelle in the middle and the baby, Brooke, on the right.
Brenda is 6 years older than myself. Brenda got married to her 1st love, and moved away when I was 12 years old. She now lives in Twin Falls, ID where she is a mail carrier. Her kids are among the oldest of the cousins and it is scary to realize just how fast these two kids are growing up. Crushes, hormones, babysitting, and many adventures under their belt.
I can remember sharing a room with Brenda before she moved away and her reading to me every night, thanks sis.
Michelle, is my sister who is capable of anything. She excells at everything and has always been a very independant women. She works for Newall Rubbermaid, where she has been climbing the corporate ladder for the last 7 years. She currently lives in Winchester, VA, a move from Las Vegas. Her job has brought her all over the world including China and Jamaca. She has always had herself together for as long as I can remember. When we were little all of her stuffed animals had matching,perfectly tied bows around their necks.
Brooke is the baby of the family, and very much an adventurous soul. She has always loved to fish and camp. She is not afraid of something new or someone different. She is a loving mother of her daughter, Jenna, who one day I am sure will be a "little Brookey." Brooke is a card dealer at a local casino and loves what she does, and does very well at it. We had more than one argument as kids....good times good times.
My sisters could not be anymore different, from looks to likes to hobbies. You name it, and chances are they don't have it in common except family. I love them all and am thankful for a healthy variety in my life. Heres to you three!!
Here is a sweet picture of Nolan and Jay on Nolan's first fishing trip with Grandpa Jim. Nolan did well I hear, a little too petrified to move at first, but maybe stood up towards the end. Nolan is definately headed in the direction of being an outdoors man. He loves to do manly things, especially, climb tractors, hunt for bugs, and play in the dirt. Love you kiddo.
To have Jay as their Dadda, I am sure that Taylor and Nolan are the luckiest kids in the world. They were loved by their Daddy long before they were born. Jay has provided everything, and sacrificed a lot for these two beauties. The first time he cut Taylor's nails she bled, and he cried with her and vowed that would be the last time he did that. He has such an endearing and loving look when ever the kids do or say something unexpected and absolutely adorable. I admire the endless patience and consistency he has with the kids no matter how tired he may be. At the end of the day when we are all beat, he always reads to the kids, and not just reads the pages, he becomes the characters...he has a lot of voices I never knew about. He is their hero, and they become attached to his hip every weekend. Nolan says his Daddy is a smart Dad, and Taylor says her Dad is a fixer Dad.
Happy Birthday Dad! It seems we get the date wrong every year....next year I will be on top of my game, or at least do it one day early...yikes. We enjoyed a camp fire dinner, a hot day, and some good laughs.
