Happy Birthday, Dad! Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Of my nuclear family, today only Bud doesn't get honored. =) He was a gracious honorer... he bought me a mother's day big fat cookie. Yum Yum!!! And Steve did a fantastic job of giving me a restful day where I felt loved and appreciated. That is all I could want or ask for. Love you, babe!

A very, very happy Mother's Day to my mom, who continues to be my best friend. How could God have known that we would love each other so much??

Today, however, is also my Dad's 60th birthday! I'm sure he's glad that I'm broadcasting that... =) My big project for the last few months has been putting together a book for him to be printed via Kodak. I asked many people from his childhood and from his work to contribute. I am bummed that I missed a few people, and I'm not sure how, but I think it still did what I'd hoped to do, which is honor my father. I see his life as such a story of grace. My dad's mother died when he was five months old, and he was raised until he was 8 by a very special aunt and uncle. That time of his life gave him an incredible foundation of godliness that I see in his life today. To hear people that he respects talk about how they respect him was a gift to me. I learned of people I've known forever who came to know the Lord, not because my dad preached at them, but because he lived his life in a godly way. I've attended two funerals recently, and it drove it home to me that I want these things to be said to the people who are special to me during the fullness of their lives, and not after they are gone. I am so proud of my Dad, and so grateful that we are such incredibly close friends!

Anyway, I'm babbling a bit, but I just wanted you good folks to know how appreciative I am of both my parents. I don't know why God chose to bless me with them, but I am grateful every day that he did.

This was when my mom was pregnant with my older sister. How is it possible her legs look that good while pregnant?? =)

Scrubs, eat your heart out. This is the real deal. My mom says my dad came out of his first day of surgery rotation as a student, and they really made him work. He came home and told my mom, "This is absolutely what I want to do." My dad has touched so many people through his work as a doctor. Not only is he consistently the best doctor in the large group in which he practices, but he is the most caring doctor I've ever met. He does it because he loves people and cares about their health and lives.
Don't you totally love the 'stache?
Mom, you are just too cute!!
Not my best picture ever, but I will sacrifice because everyone else looks so cute. We have really been a close and happy family. I always hear people say they don't want their kids to be far apart in years because they won't be close, but my brother is five years younger, and my sister is three years older and we are all close. I think that is because my parents were so deliberate about creating an environment where we could be close. I'm so thankful for that.