Luke Wilbur Joy

I took a walk with Luke the other day near our house. We walked the trail while throwing a raquetball back and forth. We stopped at the river to skip rocks and played in a big ditch with snow but no water. It was really fun. He loves the outdoors and is so creative that it is always a delight to go for walks with him.
One of my favorite things about Luke is how he always asks so many questions. He absorbs everything that is going on around him and then asks lots of questions. He wants to know alot about death and heaven. We have had some great discussions about that. He thinks alot about growing up and having a family and how he will provide for them and take care of them. I am so glad he has a great example in that.

Emily Chrystal Joy

Our first born and the one who I always seem to think is older than she really is until I look back and realize how small she really was, is growing up. Emily is a freshman in high school this year. I have to adjust my thinking many times to accomodate the need for greater responsibility and independence in her life. She can do her own laundry and could figure out most recipes if she needed to. She is organized most of the time and a great student. She is fun and loving and a wonderful big sister. She loves to babysit and makes good money doing it. At this point she would like to be a teacher. She is a wonderful gymnast and loves school and her friends.

This year I have enjoyed her improvements on the french horn and wish she liked performing, so we could share her talents. She really would prefer to be as far away from the center of attention as possible.

I have also enjoyed over the years, her finding her own taste in clothes and hair and love her beautiful, modest ways.

She is definitely the saver among the kids. She rarely wants to spend her money, but would spend ours any day. She shops mostly sales and usually clearance.

She reminds me of me in high school, with her never ending appetite. With about 16 hours a weeek in the gym, I will feed her as much as she likes. One of her favorite things is hard roll and salami.

What a treat she is to have around. She is around less and less all the time with a busy schedule and I am coming to realize how fast these 4 years will fly by. We will savor each moment.

One thing I particularly enjoy is when she still wants me to lay with her at night and sing or just talk. I hope she always wants to do that. That was one of my favorite things about Mom and so it is equally special with Emily.

Rebekah Mazie Marie Joy

In about a week and a half Rebekah will turn 11. This is her school picture. I just love it and she does too. Before Rebekah was born, Emily was a part of our discussions about what we should name the baby. Mazie was one of our options. When Rebekah was born and we were trying to pick from the 2 or 3 that we had narrowed it down to, Emily was adamant that her name would be Mazie. We decided on Rebekah which did not set well with Emily. We told her it could be part of her middle name. We didn't put it on her birth certificate, but now I wish we had. Rebekah also includes it as part of her middle name and I love that.
Rebekah is so dear to my heart. She is quick with a hug and an I Love You. She like to be sung to at bedtime and many times just wants one extra hug. She loves her brother and sister very much, but is quite a tease. I think she gets that from her Aunt CarolAnn. They both get that same gleam in their eye.
Rebekah loves sports. She enjoys every edition of Sports Illustrated kids that comes to our door. She soaks up Griz football when she gets a chance and would be watching Monday night football every week if we had TV. She is currently swimming and playing basketball and couldn't be happier with both.
She is a avid reader and an earlier riser which suits her fine. She wakes up around 6am many times and reads till 6:45 or 7 before getting ready for school.
I love that she has her own wonderful stlye like no one else and does not care if others at school think it is not cool. She wears sweats and slippers most of the time. She will wears jeans on occasion and a dress only if she has to. She does have a few dresses that she has actually liked. This picture of her is somewhat rare. She doesn't usually wear her hair down. Although I love it when she does. It is usually up in a pony tail with a head band. She is the cutest darn girl.
Some of the things I never want to forget from this age is how her hands are always so soft. How she smells good. How she is comfortable in her skin. How she has come out of her shell after being so incredibly shy. She is learning everyday to overcome that. She has had some wonderful teachers who have helped with that. How she is so very artistic and creative. She made a snowman ornament the other day out of clay that was so cute. She is smart as a whip and seems to know it. This only becomes a problem when she doesn't see the value in slowing down and checking her work. Her teacher lovingly calls her T.A. which stands for teetering A. This means she gets all A's but is always on the edge, because it's more fun to be the first done that to apply some discipline to the situation. We will work on that one.
I love you Rebekah. You add great joy to my life. You challenge me to think outside the box and to truly think about what is important. You help me have fun and relax.
Oh I almost forgot. She is also a budding pianist and percussionist. I love listening to her.
Happy Birthday Rebekah!!! You have been looking forward to 11 so you can go to babysitting camp this summer. It is closer than you think. Love MOM