"Happy 7th birthday son!"

 It is so nice to have a boy party in a place where they can be loud and run around, somewhere besides our own home. :) Isaac really wanted his 7th birthday at John's Incredible Pizza. It was a blast. The party was supposed to end at 8, but we didn't leave until after 9. 

As you can see, Isaac has moved on from...wait for it...trains! I never thought I would see the day, but he is all about LEGOS (Star Wars and Angry Birds too). He lost some teeth, started reading chapter books, turned 7 and has finally changed his passion.

Walker and Isaac

Chris will do anything for his boy

Watching Lego Star Wars

Angry Birds Hat

He's getting a pretty good arm

Isaac loving the the ride simulator with Preston

Gramma did everything Abigail wanted...

...then pooped out. :)

Cashing in tickets

Owen showing off his winnings of more than 1000 tickets

All 6 Star Wars movies!

 On the morning of his actual birthday, we opened more gifts. A homeowner that Chris sold a home to gave Isaac all the Star Wars DVDs (he switched to Blue Ray and generously passed them on).

He picked mac n' cheese as his special birthday breakfast

4 years...in a blink!

...only two little teeth

My dad sends emails every so often with pics of the kids from way back when. These ones were so cute, I just had to share them. I remember them at that age like it was yesterday, yet it was over 4 years ago. The pics I have today will be 4 year old memory when Isaac is 11 and Abigail is 9...another 4 years and they'll be 15 and 13...another 4 and Isaac will be an adult and Abigail will in her senior year in high school. I know it will happen in blink of an eye.

Please, Lord Jesus, help me to treasure each moment with my children every day that you entrust me to be their mother. I pray that they would know in the depths of their soul my deep love for them and the far greater love You have for them. May I not take one day for granted. 

Amazing, Creative, Devoted Dad!

Chris works so hard. God has blessed him with many gifts, skills and a drive that makes him very good at his job. His customer service is impeccable and he is blessed to work for a company that he enjoys that is also successful. The challenging part of his position is that he works long hours and doesn't have weekends off. He has days off when Isaac is in school (Thursdays and Fridays), so it takes being purposeful and creative to spend quality time together. He DOES IT! He loves our son and puts in the time whenever and wherever he can find it.

In addition to spending Thursday mornings through Isaac's lunch (Chris' Saturday) with Isaac in his classroom, he is getting more "special" time with him where he can. They are now trying to have "dates" after school on Thursdays, just the two of them. Sometimes it's a bike ride or shooting hoops at the school; sometimes it's doing homework together in a extra-special place. More than where or what they do, it is the time that Isaac loves. He loves just knowing that his dad is investing one-on-one time with him.

It will take being even more creative with time next year when Abigail enters kindergarten, but Chris can and will do it. He will make it happen...that's the kind of man Chris is. I am so thankful for that. The kids are so thankful for that. He is a godly, diligent, skilled, faithful servant.

Amidst all the volunteering Chris does at Isaac's functions at school, church, and AWANAS, Isaac's most treasured time with his dad is in bed after he gets tucked in. Chris will lay beside him after they pray and just spend time talking. Isaac shares (and anyone who knows Isaac, knows he loves to talk/share) all the things that are on his heart from the day. Isaac never wants him to leave. It is precious. I pray that their bond and open lines of communication continue into the teen years as Isaac grows into a young man.

Isaac is night-and-day different from his dad, but if he follows in the character Chris has modeled for him as he follows Jesus, there is no doubt Isaac will be an incredible man! I am excited to see the plans God has for him.

Isaac reading to Abigail at our timeshare by the beach

Daddy, the donkey carrying "Jesus" into Jerusalem

Science and Teeth

Iron in cereal

Kind of gross

Science Fair

He even typed it all

Jordan, Luke and Isaac...same missing top right tooth

"T" week at preschool...Dr. Bittner teaching about teeth

Two Princesses in a Pod

What you find on your camera after the girls played together...

I treasure the blessing of friendship. I know the deep impact faithful friends had on me growing up and I praise God for the deep bonds Abigail is establishing from a much younger age than I did. She and Kayla have been friends since birth (Kayla is 4 days older). They are so different but get along so naturally. Together they are creative, imaginative, playful, and content. Kayla brings out the best in our daughter. There is generally more laughter in the air when they are around one another. Everything becomes fancier, more special, more sparkly, more musical, more full if dance, and their voices even elevate to the next level. I pray that these two princesses really know how fearfully and wonderfully made they are by God. I pray that they would seek Jesus as their King and would love Him more than anything else.

2012 Pics

Abigail's Larryboy impression

The Opfermans are so cute...they all come out to wave "good-bye"

This is how the kids "help" with the laundry...Dad's underwear superheros

Another free Christmas event

Hooray for a nativity

Buddy Drew

Field trip to the farm with first grade

It was a really cool farm fully run by high school kids

Sadly, this is all the snow we got this year

Oh the joy of cell phone cameras...you can take pics everywhere, but then you forget them and don't do anything with them. I found a few from 2012 that I wanted to keep in our blog book.

Cubbie Bear

Love this new bike from Gma and Papa

Lunch at Isaac's school (Jordan is a hugger)

Cubbie Bear is the mascot for AWANA Cubbies. This marks the last time one of our kids will take Cubbie home. As our kids grow, we will be moving up to Sparks with them...we will miss our sweet 3 and 4 year olds but are so excited for a new group of kids and Bible verses next year.