About: Jeremy...

I bet you all thought I'd forgotten about my baby brother! How could I? One of my parents favorite stories from my childhood was the birth of our Jeremy. I was just over 3 at the time and was CONVINCED I'd be getting a baby sister. I already had one brother, thank you very much, time for a sister. It was not to be. My response to the birth of another brother was to smack Adam over the head with a broom while crying despondently, "She's a boy!" :(

One of the things I love most about Jeremy is his ability to turn on the charm. That kid can pour it on THICK. He also tells one heck of a story. Sometimes it only takes 2-3 sentences before I'm laughing hysterically. He can be quite the performer when he feels like it. It wasn't until I was in high school and my girlfriends were complaining non stop about how their sisters kept stealing their clothes, makeup, shoes, you-name-it that I realized how blessed I was to have brothers.

Dearest Jeremy, I love you buckets and am so glad you aren't a girl. ;)

The song I posted with Adam applies just as much with Jeremy. Check it out here!

Look at that smile! Who could resist that grin???

ABOUT: Adam

There's so much that could be said about J. Adam. He's Desomniac, he's growing stuff, he rides the bus a lot, he wants people to be inspired and to act, he brews his own beer. And those are just the blogs he writes/contributes to! Adam is wonderful in so, so many ways. He's kind and generous. I could call him ANY TIME, day or night, happy or heartbroken and I know that without a doubt, he'd be there for me. If I wanted to overindulge he'd help me do so safely. ;) I don't, but it's nice to have the option.

I am so blessed to call him my brother. He's smart, interesting, HILAROUS, thoughtful, totally amazing. I don't know that I'd survive our family without him. I also kind of like that in some ways, he still needs a little caretaking. I love being his big sister. On Saturday I encourage everyone to wish him a very happy 27th birthday. Holy crap, we're aging. :D Bro, I love ya. More than I could possilby articulate.


Almost forgot to include a song!! Here it is, Leann Rimes "Family" -

Mamma's crying again here baby's no where to be found
the world has gone taken her away
Daddy went and ran off with some white trash half his age
left me at home to pay for his mistakes
My sister held my hand when that bad boy broke my heart
Ain't no miles ain't no man could ever tear us apart

Here I stand on roots that deep
We laugh we cry we hurt we bleed
We're best of friends and worst enemies
We're all to blame, were all the same, make no apologies
This is my family

Can't forget the night that uncle William passed away
we were forced to recognize his weird disease
I ran away and ran around with a man twice my age
ain't it funny how some things never change

Here I stand on roots that deep
We laugh we cry we hurt we bleed
We're best of friends and worst enemies
We're all to blame, were all the same, make no apologies
This is my family

Don't you try to shame my name
Cause til the death I will defend
Yeah their blood runs through my veins
It's where I start and where I'll end

Here I stand on roots that deep
We laugh we cry we hurt we bleed
We're best of friends and worst enemies
We're all to blame, were all the same, make no apologies
This is my family

Not the best recording, but I don't think she recorded a formal video for this song. Enjoy anyway!

About: Dad

What to say about Dad... He's pretty awesome. I am so thankful for him. One of the many wonderful things about my dad is the way he helps me see a bigger picture. He challenges me to *really* think about what I think. My dad calls me on my stuff. ;) Sometimes my dad calls me just to chat. I love that. Some days he calls to say he's proud to be my dad. I really love that. There's a country song that goes -

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin'.
Daddy's hands, were hard as steel when I'd done wrong.
Daddy's hands, weren't always gentle
But I've come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy's hands

Most of the song doesn't quite apply, but that does. I remember as a little girl that when I woke up from a bad dream, I always went to Dad's side of the bed. And as a teenager he told me that if there was ever anything I didn't want to do but my friends were bugging me about to just tell them my dad said no. He offered to be my scape goat. I don't remember ever having to use him that way, but I love that he was willing to be the bad guy.

He's not a perfect man or a perfect dad, but he's mine. I may not have been allowed to be a princess, but I'm definitely my dad's girl. :) At my wedding my dad and I danced to the following song. Every time I hear it or someone mentions the artist, I remember that day and how much I love my dad.

You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

Yup, that's my daddy.

About: Mom

I love my mama. And as much as I love her, I miss her. Now, it's nice to know that anytime Seattle is too cold I can find a plane ticket and head down to the warmer region of Phoenix, AZ. But, it means, I miss my mama. A lot. And my grandma, my papa, my great-aunt, my uncle... Basically my mom's whole family. I am glad they're together at least. My mom is a pretty special gal... We had a really rough patch that started when I was 13 and didn't *really* end until I was 23. I'm guessing that's relatively normal right??? ;)

My mom had already moved to Arizona by the time I got engaged. I was SO EXCITED to get married. I called my mom every day to every other day for 15 MONTHS. I'm sure there were days that she would have preferred I not call and yak her ear off for 2 hours about favors, table decor, dresses, etc. If there were, she never let on! She was extraordinarily patient with me. I am so, so thankful that we got through the rough decade to the place we are today. My mom is one of my best and dearest friends. I love that. I love her. This song always reminds me of my early childhood before mom went to work -

Somebody's Hero by Jamie O'Neal

She's never pulled anyone from a burning building
She's never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans, screaming out her name
She's never hit a shot to win the game
She's never left her footprints on the moon
She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride, around the world,
No, she's just your everyday average girl (but)

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero

oh oh
She didn't get a check every week like a nine-to fiver
But she's been a waiter, and a cook and a taxi driver
For twenty years, there at home, until the day her girl was grown
Giving all her love to her was her life's ambition
But now her baby's movin' on, and she'll soon be missin' her
But not today, those are tears of joy runnin' down her face

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her daughter in her wedding dress
She gave her wings to leave the nest
It hurts to let her baby go down the aisle she walks right by
Looks back into her mother's eyes
And that smile lets her know oh oh oh
She's somebody's hero

Thirty years have flown right past
Her daughters' starin' at all the photographs
Of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that
Oh, but she already is

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her mother in a rockin' chair
She runs a brush through her silver hair
The envy of the nursing home
She drops by every afternoon
Feeds her mother with a spoon
And that smile lets her know oh oh
Her mother's smile lets her know oh oh
She's somebody's hero

ABOUT: Jake

So, after writing the entry about Tianna, I decided to do a whole series on my family. They're all pretty awesome. The one I'm most thankful for is my husband. I'm not sure that there's another person who could live with me for nearly four years and still love me as much as he does. I'm so blessed. I married a bright, wonderful, incredibly hard-working man. I'm enjoying each day of our marriage and thrilled about what lies before us. Thank you my dear, sweet husband. I appreciate you so much.

ABOUT: Tianna

I have the greatest niece in the world. She's awesome. She's young, bright, fun and best of all, SASSY. It's been a long time since I've had her in front of my camera so you're getting an old image.


There are so many things I love about this girl. The way she laughs. The way she tries to hold her own with her gramps. How tight she'll hug. How small she once was. That for a space of time she thought I was pretty awesome. ;) She's got such a good heart. There's a song that comes on the radio periodically and EVERY time I hear it, I can't help but think of her.

Fingerprints of God by Steven Curtis Chapman

I can see the tears filling Your eyes
And I know where they're coming from
They're coming from a heart that's broken in two
By what you don't see
The person in the mirror
Doesn't look like the magazine
Oh, but when I look at you it's clear to me that...

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Never has there been and never again
Will there be another you
Fashioned by God's hand
And perfectly planned
To be just who you are
And what He's been creating
Since the first beat of your heart
Is a living breathing priceless work of art and...

Just look at you
You're a wonder in the making
Oh, and God's not through, no
In fact, He's just getting started and…

I hope and pray that Tianna will always know what a treasure she is and how deeply she is loved.