Happy 4th Birthday to our Brady Darrell!

It may be in the low twenties here but I send to one and all a warm tune greeting: Happy trails to you on this Friday, January 8, 2009. Speaking of grand children, let me first express my thankfulness to God for bringing Tiffany through the birth process (nearly twelve hours) and for our new little bundle of joy named: Madelyn Joy. Thanks to all who whispered a prayer for them, and for us. Also, I was remiss the other day in not mentioning the brand NEW grandparents, our very own Grandpa Chris and Grandma Sherrie. My eldest is now a granddad? Quite a remarkable journey is all I can say. I haven't talked to them this morning but all was going well when we left the hospital last night. She came into this world at 6:10 p.m., weighing 9 lbs, 6 ounces, and measuring 18.5 inches. (I know those vital statistics are very important to other moms for some reason.)

Tomorrow, Saturday, is our Brady's birthday. He is the little dude of our youngest son Rodney and wife Mitzi, and shares time with his two sisters, Kyleigh and Lexie. DNA notwithstanding, our family has some of the most beautiful but different children God has placed on our planet. They are all uniquely suited for the faculties given to them and our Brady is a joy to behold. We thought they had broken the mold when Rodney, his dad, came along, but what a little barnstormer we have in our Brady. He has a mind of his own and the will to go with it. Come to think about it, so did his dad.

Brady is surrounded by lady folk but that has not kept him from carving out his own little macho niche. He loves playing. Yes, he loves playing. It may be a computer or video game, or a game of being an imaginary character, but he does love to play. He also has a bountiful supply of energy which allows him to take his playtime very seriously. I am so thankful he is being raised up to be courteous, grateful, and respectful which he demonstrates in his way of speaking to his MiMi and Poppy. He and his four-year-old cousin Alex are a dynamic duo that do everything from fighting fires to playing super heroes when they are together. Happy Birthday Brady and may God bless you on your special day. Love, MiMi and Poppy! Amen. …..More later.