Family

Have I ever told you all how much I LOVE my kids?  Look at these guys!  They are all their own individuals and yet they all blend so nicely.  I could never ask for a more perfect family!

Zak- What a GREAT kid!  This guy is so much fun (most of the time).  We have certainly had our ups and downs with each other over the years, but he has been SO accepting of me.  He used to be an angry, confused, bitter little guy when I first met him.  He has grown into a strong, confident, happy young man and I am so blessed to have him as part of my life.  I wouldn't trade any of our trials for anything in the world.  I know our relationship is stronger because of the things we have learned from/about each other over the years. Although Zak thinks Josh and I are the "weirdest" parents around, we do what we do because we love him so much and just want to see him make the best choices possible in his life.  He is so talented and has so much to offer in all aspects of his life and I can't wait to see where it all takes him.

Ryson- He is such a genuine person.  He LOVES everyone and makes friends so easily.  He is such a huge help to me.  Ryson is such a hard worker and will do just about anything  I ask him to without argument.  Although Ryson is technically an only child, he has 11 step brothers and sisters and has done an amazing job of holding himself together through all of the changes in his short little lifetime.  He is great friends with all of his siblings and LOVES being part of a big, mixed up FAMILY.  He gets pretty lonely when the kids are away and asks often when they will be coming back.  Don't get me wrong, he certainly loves his ALONE time too and I believe his personality is cut out for the kind of life this guy has had.
Josh and I expect a lot out of Ryson and he is so good natured to take it all in stride and not fight us (at least not often) about doing homework, extra homework, 4 days of basketball practice, church activities, scouts, etc.  What a great person this kid is and what a great guy he is turning out to be.

Isabella- Wow.  She is growing up SO fast!!  Bella has always been a princess by nature.  Ever since the day I met her, she has been a fan of skirts and high heels, boys and makeup, all things girl!
It has been so fun, and somewhat frightening, to watch her grow into a young women so quickly.  She has started babysitting a lot lately and is starting to earn some of her OWN money.  How great is it that we can trust that she is mature enough to take on the responsibility of taking care of others.  Although she would never admit it, I know she loves helping out with the younger boys, helping with meals and with whatever else we need her to help with around the house.  Bella has a very strong personality.  Sometimes this is good, sometimes this is not so good.  She has grown up a lot and is learning how to use this personality to her advantage.  She is not shy AT ALL and LOVES to be the center of attention!  Isn't she beautiful?

Riley- Every family needs a Riley!  He is our tender one.  He is ALWAYS thinking of others and is very kind hearted.  He is a more shy than the other kids and is VERY cuddly and likes to stay close.  Riley is so smart and I love doing homework with him and watching him learn.  He is so animated and playful and has such a fun personality.  He is very methodical about everything that he does.  A kid after my own heart!

Blake- You can certainly tell that Blake is the youngest.  This boy is SO SMART!  He picks things up so quickly and is going to be very talented just like his older brother.  Blake doesn't like to be the center of attention at all. He likes to be alone and is typically off in his own little world.  He loves junk drawers and can usually find a use for just about ANYTHING.  I can't believe our youngest will be getting baptized in just a few weeks!  Where does the time go?

I love my family and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!