One Way Life Is Measured: Birthdays!

I LOVE having a big family. So many birthdays and so many great reasons to eat cake! Here is a monster birthday blog to get caught up with family milestones.

Yes...I am 52 wonderful years old. And proud of it. Sort of. For a vain woman there is always a bit of pain with every years worth of wrinkles and gravity induced sagging...but hey the trade off is awesome. Every year, heck every day; I am getting closer to seeing Jesus face to face. So I'll happily hang out here wrinkling up while doing whatever He puts in front of me....just waiting for Him to come get me.

Me: Julee, Wife, Mommy, סבתא Hebrew for grandma and pronounce Savta



Anna: 9th child to join our family and 1st adoption. She was 20 mos when we met her in China. Cutie pie tomboy who would rather eat dirt than wear a dress. Always looking for a spare moment to play DS or kick a soccer ball



Michael: 8th and youngest bio child, now a "man"..sniff sniff. Where did my baby boy go?! Calm and steady like his dad, communicator like his mom...much smarter more talented than either of us. God has BIG plans for you boy*



*Michael was raised till age 10 as a youngest child with six teenage siblings. His brothers called him "boy" and we parents called him "the boy". It was always done in a total loving way...he was the little prince of the family. Then..Michael went from being adored little prince of family to oldest brother of many, many younger siblings after God brought our children through adoption.

Josiah: 11th child and 2nd adoption (along with Maggie) Sweet, sweet, sweet. Adopted at age 13 mos from South Africa. A miracle. All boy. Best friend to Berhanu



Mike: A hero. Married a messed up dirt poor welfare mom with 4+ kids and saved our lives. Steady and sure. A natural born careful leader who steps out of his safety zone to do God's calling. Handsome and kind. Great daddy. Most important...follows God no matter the cost.

My guy Mike who also turned 52...but never lets me forget I did it first and am two months older than him



Mike was happier with his cake backwards showing he was 25 rather than 52. You'll always look 25 to me honey