Kids...

Man they are a handfull sometimes, cost a lot of money to raise but I think worth every dollar.
I wanted to brag on my kids for a bit, we don't do that often enough. Really we probably spend more time criticizing them than we do encouraging them.

My oldest was born on Father's Day and it is appropriate since she is almost just like me. She is so talented, in many different areas. She plays every sport that she can in school and is looking to possibly continue athletic endeavors at the college level. I pray she does as we can use every scholarship available. She is talented musically as well. She plays bass guitar and drums and is good at both. She recently went to competition where you have to play a drum solo. Well she kept trying to back out and she did not put her best foot forward to practice and at the dress rehearsal she played for one minute fifteen seconds or something like that. At competition they give you FIVE minutes which is a long time to play a drum solo. So she takes her prepared minute, and at competition decides that is not long enough. So she starts with what she prepared and then played another FOUR minutes off the cuff. Yep, just made it up and kept playing. She rated superior with her spur of the moment effort. I din't have to wonder what would have happened had she prepared a five minute performance in the first place. She would have blown people away. She is so good sometimes, she allows her talent to carry her, when she starts applying that talent to some practice and puts her mind to be the best. Watch out!! Oh and she is a straight A student as well taking college courses as a 15 year old. Brains too? It is not fair one girl should be so blessed.

My daughter number two is so different from daughter number one. Number two athletically was not as big, but really was a good athlete at her age. She got hurt early on and decided that sports was not her thing. So she gets into music. She can sing, play the guitar, pick around on the piano, she is a runway model and getting paid (products and discounts at the places she models for, that is getting paid as far as I see it) to do it. She is a cheerleader, leader and also is a straight A student as well. She is so respectful, polite and a joy to be around. And she has a handicap. She was born with heart problems, had open heart surgury at 8 days old, had a pacemaker put in and had a heart surgury procedure earlier this year and yet nothing slows her down. You forget she even has the issue until you see the scar and are reminded of the surguries. She will end up at college somewhere, either as a cheerleader, or as a brainiac or on some TV show or fashion show. Who knows, the world is definately her oyster, and I don't even know if she liks oysters!!

My oldest son. Well he is so sweet. He looks like a model, plays middle linebacker and has dimples that when he gets older will probably get him in trouble. He is still a little shy, and he doesn't realize how good looking, how smart or even how good he really is. He is at that age where his voice is starting to change, his feet are getting bigger and he is starting to fill out. He also is a force at wanting to get better in sports and will work to do it. He is going to be a beast when he gets older, I just hope his sweet spirit stays with him. I think he will be a football player that will knock your block off, then reach down and help you up and pray for you as you wobble back to the huddle. Oh and he is a BRAIN also. He reads like a little widow woman, always a book in his hand, he and his Quiz Bowl team are some of the best in the state and he has a ton of knowledge stored in that head of his. He is a lot like his Dad in that aspect. He remembers everything. One day he will either be playing middle linebacker and smacking people, running a corporation or spending eight weeks on Jeopardy schooling Alex on who the first century warlords of east Asia were.

My youngest son. Where to start. Well from the beginning he wasn't supposed to be here. My wife and I tried to quit at three kids. She had a tubal and ended up pregnant with number four. I remember thinking he was going to cost me a lot of retirement funds and at least three more years of kids in the house when we found out about him. He has yet to start sports, he would rather set around playing video games. But he personality is so bright he just about makes everyone laugh as he comes into a room. He is musical like the rest of his family, taking piano lessons, and is a natural comedian. He is still so sweet that he likes to set next to me and has no problem showing affection for his family. He is smart as well, not book smart yet but he can figure out a way to take most anything apart, and then put it back together.

So all in all I am blessed with the kids I have been given. Everyday I thank GOD for the days I have been blessed to have them and I know that I will miss the days when they are not an every day part of my life. So I will enjoy them as long as I have them. Love you kids.