JOSIAH IS 11!!!!!!

Just a few pics of Josiah from over the years!!
Does anyone know who's wedding that 3rd picture was from?? I'll give you a hint, Josiah's shares his birthday with one of the wedding party from that day :).

This is such a busy season in our lives that I haven't had a chance to journal forever...which you may not miss, but I really do :). This time of year we are just going from one big event/holiday/celebration to the next and yet there are so many little things/experiences/lessons that happen in between it all but I just don't have time to write about them!!! :)

So, here is another celebration....JOSIAH'S 11th BIRTHDAY!!! How did he get to be 11!!?? So, crazy since I haven't aged at all since I had him...weird! :)
In honor of his birthday he gets his very own post......

Josiah is our boy genius. In fact I just had to check with him from the other room to make sure I spelled genius right...clearly it's not a word I have ever used much before :). He thrives in school. He just excells in that environment, in every aspect of it. (Sidenote- our personal conviction on public vs. homeschool is case by case... kid by kid... year by year).

He is in a 5th/6th grade class this year and is already studying geometry. I never even took geometry....good thing he never needs help with it! :) His class has amazing oppurtunities to do things like help NASA with a project they are currently working on. He was also invited to travel to D.C. this year with a select group of students from all over the nation to be involved in leadership training and to see some inner workings of our government.

He is very well liked by his peers and is in the student council. He is also a Conflict Manager Team member, which means he helps supervise younger students during occasional recesses and has been trained and prepared to help resolves conflict as it arises on the playground. This is his first year in band and he is playing the drums and he just joined the volleyball team.

He already thinks he wants to start out at WSU and work towards a degree in engineering. He already has some plans on how he will get scholarships! I think I may have taken the wrong baby home from the hospital! Kidding kidding. :)

We are also very aware there is destiny on his life. We know he is here for great purpose. Over the years, I have had several people come and speak prophetic words over Josiah, some even before he was ever born. But, right now he is just a total KID...trust me on that. :)

All these things are so great, but of coarse our greatest desire for him (besides knowing the Lord) is to have great character...and with an 11 year old that can sometimes be much more challenging then geometry :).

Don't get me wrong he is a really good kid. But at 11 years old, the world still pretty much revolves around you and concepts like; putting others first, or not lying to get out of trouble when in a tight spot, just don't make much sense yet. :)

So, we are always trying to find the delicate balance of allowing him to be 11 and yet encourgaing him to be a young man of character and integrity. We never want to push too hard and yet we don't want to miss valuable opportunities either. Somedays we do all right...and others we wonder why God choose us to handle something so important. :) My running joke is always "I don't want him to be in therapy when he's older talking about ME!"

That pretty much sums up our Josiah. We love you kid and we are proud of you! HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY JOSIAH!

For Josiah's birthday, just like last year he got to choose between a big party with a bunch of friends or taking one friend and spending the day at The Family Fun Center and spending the night in the hotel there next door (with a pool of coarse). Like last year, he quickly decided to take his buddy Cameron and head to The Fun Center for an overnighter!! :) Here are some fun pics from our weekend.....

Checked into our hotel and ready for FUN!!!

Daddy giving Johnny some swimming lessons

Fun in the pool!

THE FUN CENTER!

Father and Son

Josiah and His best buddy since 1st grade....Cameron!

Serious Gamers

GOLF!!!




Here's to another great year Josiah! :)