Our Family

OK, so we really need to get a new family photo taken. This one is from when we lived in NC. The kids are much bigger now, I weigh more nowadays and BJ has finally embraced his baldness and shaved his head. Well, this is my family. They are the reason I get up in the morning and the reason I don't get to bed on time at night!

BJ is my husband and best friend. When he asked me to marry him, he promised to always make me laugh. I don't know if he knew how much I needed laughter in my life. But I did, and I needed him. He has lived up to that promise and I give him credit for having such easy going kids. He is always singing some crazy song or teasing one of us. He is still a mystery to me because although he is often making jokes and laughing, sometimes he is intensely serious. I love that part of him.

AJ is the fireball-daughter that my mother always told me she hoped I would get when I became a mother. She is strong spirited and passionate and everything I could ever hope for. She drew on the wall with a permanent marker when she was 18 months old. At the time I just thought it was normal toddler mischief but now, I know better. She draws constantly. Whether it's on a napkin at a restaurant or on the back of one of my papers she finds on the kitchen counter, she is consumed by art. We have been very lucky to find great teachers for her who have helped her strengthen her talents. She also loves horses with a passion and they are her favorite thing to draw.

JDC is my mild mannered boy. He is soft spoken and tenderhearted but when he makes a decision, he is as stubborn as an ox. I love to see that determination shine through when he feels strongly about something. One day he saw a show about some kids doing capoeira, a Brazilian martial art form. He told me he wanted to do it and talked about it for months. We finally took him seriously and found a class for him to join. He loves it! I wonder what else he will do. That is one of the best things about motherhood, watching to see what your children will become.