Forever Young

May 22, 2003

Huntington Beach, CA

Josh turned 30. August 8th to be exact. Thirty is a big birthday by most people's standards. Teen years are long gone. Glorious 20's....over. BUT, my Josh is smart. Really smart. He has figured out a way to stay (or at least seem) forever young. Curious?

The trick is to never, ever, ever stop going to school. It's nearly impossible to feel or seem old if when filling out paper work at the doctor's office you write "student" on the line for occupation. It's like we are in a perpetual state of in between. Not quite young and dumb, and not quite old and stuffy. So smart! With the track we're on now, he gets to claim this for the next 4 years! 34 never felt so young.

Josh's birthday happened to land on a Sunday this year. It began with early morning meetings, frenzied church service, and then meetings/interviews after church. For his present he went to the PGA tour at Whistling Straits, but that wasn't until Monday, so he didn't even have a gift to open. He did get a raspberry cream cake, his dinner pick of chicken fajitas, and an afternoon nap with Josie, but I can tell you that none of it is sufficient to really celebrate our Josh. Taking on the roll of student for years and years is no easy task, and his burden is great! Being married to me is no easy task, although I'm trying to make it easier :) Being daddy to 3 beautiful kids is a wonderful task, yet not easy either. Serving in the bishopric- no easy task, but he does it willingly. Taking care of himself physically and spiritually seems impossible when faced with the obstacle of having to create time to do it, but do it, he does.

After writing out all that he does, thank goodness for him that he has managed to stay forever young, because no average 30 year old could do it all! We love you, Josh.

Oh My Goodness!

A mini skirt has never made chub look so good!

SIX

I can't believe he is six. We have been parents for six years, and I still don't think we know what we are doing. I'm just thankful we've all survived. Since Will was born we have lived in 5 different places, attended 6 years of college at two different schools, and have added two more people to the mix. Josh and I joke that Will is only going to know the "poor student" version of us, and miss out on the "we're finally not too poor for that" version. There is a possibility that he could be graduating high school around the same time that Josh is finishing residency, so that means that Will's dad will have never had a "real" job until then. I have a feeling that he won't think less of him, since according to Will his dad is his favorite person ever.

This picture was taken at about 7:45am. Will had already been up for nearly two hours because he was SO excited for his birthday. Unfortunately, he didn't go to bed until very late, also because he was SO excited for his birthday.

Overtired + extreme anticipation= Moments of complete ridiculousness for mommy, and a raging head ache.

Will opening his new remote control monster truck. We are taking bets on how soon they will break that one. (I give it one week)

Happy Birthday, William boy!

A Hairy Situation

First:

Curly hair, and a lot of it.

Then:

A little at home barbering

Next:

Rock on!

Josie thinks she has a silly daddy.

Last:

All gone, until winter.

Moon Boots

Conversation that Isaac and I had while he was sitting at the dinner table eating spaghetti.

I: Mom?

Me: hmm

I: Mom?!

Me: huh?

I: Mom?! Say, 'what!"

(Isaac insists that you say "what" when he is talking to you, even if direct eye contact is being made, and you have given some other verbalization to acknowledge that you are listening.)

Me: what

I: Did William go to the moon?

Me: (puzzled) what?

I: (frustration escalating) DID. WILLIAM. GO. TO. THE. MOON?

Me: umm...no

I: Then why does he have boots to walk on it?

Me: (eyes wide, head shaking, and big dumb smile that won't leave my face)

My Piece of Humble Pie

Josie, a few days old.

Before, I used to hear parents say things like, "He has been sleeping through the night since two months old." Then I would say in my head, "that's not normal! that baby needs to be up eating! You are just ignoring it!" or something like that. I didn't think such a thing was really possible, but I'm happy to eat my big fat piece of humble pie and admit that it is possible! My Josie does it! Now, this being my third time around, I recognize that this could all change. Just when you think you know what to expect from a baby, they let you know that you aren't nearly as clever as you think you are, but...for now, she sleeps through the night. She goes down between 9:00 and 10:00 and wakes up to eat at 7:00am. Wonderful! She has always been a good sleeper. There is only one night since we've had her home where she woke up more than once in the night to eat, and then she wouldn't wake up for the day until closer to 9:00.

I didn't know it was possible. It is. It's incredible. Motherhood is SO much more manageable when you aren't overtired, and I'm thankful for that.

Brotherly Love, Part 2

The following is a conversation I had with Will this afternoon:

Will: You want to know the pattern of how much I love people?

Me: Sure

Will: Daddy 503, Josie 502, You (mommy) 501

Me: What about Isaac?

Will: Oh yeah. I really forgot something!

Me: (waiting to hear Isaac's number)

Will: Me (as in himself) 503

Me: Oh, but what about Isaac?

Will: um...just give him the number that's at the bottom of all those. The smallest one.

I know they really do love each other.