Jacob is 8 years old!

Even one year makes a huge difference. Last summer he was missing teeth and had a very stylish mohawk!


I remember all the way back to the beginning. Right after I got pregnant with Katy, Darren heard the Lord tell him to pray for Jacob, too.

We still had to wait about 3 more years before we got to meet him. He was 10 lbs. My biggest baby. It all took less than 2 hours from serious contraction and water breaking to delivery... fast and intense - just like Jacob.

Dad and Uncle Davin were at the movies watching X-Men. They were closer to the hospital than I was - so they finished the movie and grabbed a burger on the way over. Adventist, Portland, Oregon.

I would lay Jacob down on his back for his nap, and he'd want the blanket on his cheek. As long as his blanket or something was on his face, he was fine. He didn't really have a favorite blanket that he carried around, but he did love his binky.

We drove to Texas when he was 18 months old. We had those Chevron cars with the big eyes. I used to call him my broccoli boy, but after that trip - he converted to french fries.

He loved Thomas the Tank Engine. The whistles and peeps and toots... I remember him standing in one of the kitchen chairs at the Jacqueline house making all the train noises. I also remember him getting VERY frustrated as he began to talk and we didn't quite understand him... VERY FRUSTRATED!!!

We collected those trains and Nana Jana made him a train table...so many hours of play. Setting them up, using all his imagination, sharing with his big sister, trying to keep the little sisters from messing it up.

I remember when he had to sleep on the bottom bunk bed. He wanted to be on top, but Katy was. There were stickers with his name on the wood. I remember laying on the bottom bunk with him, my little boy.

We moved to the new house... and there was no room for a train table. He doesn't play with them much anymore anyway. Army guys, guns, airplanes, light sabers, animals, magnetics, legos, k'nex, reading, reading, reading, and more reading.

He's on the top now, well, they both are. Loft beds over all of his special possesions. His favorite toys and books.


Last summer we were in Nashville. We ended up on the road, driving home on his birthday. We had a party at some cousins house, Shrek cake, legos, etc. But not a "real" party with his friends. Katy made him a popcorn cake when we got home.
This year we were going to have a "real" party with his friends. But we all get sick and had to reschedule it... for October. He won't be home til then. How great is that? We all tried to make up for not having a party, plus he gets a party 3 months later.

He is only 8 yrs old. Not very old at all. But so far away from the little boy with the blanket on his face. I love him. My Jacob boy.


He grows a little more everyday into the man he's going to be. I am so proud and honored to be his mom.

I miss you brother. Have a great time this summer.

I'll see you in the fall - mom