Jakob, Backyard, Big Deal

Jakob turned 12 and he was very happy. I have to admit i am a bit somber about it. I knew the day was coming....I had to work my way up to the day. In fact, on the actual day October 19th, i just couldnt say it. I promised him i would drive him to school that day. So i did, in the car he turned to me with his sweet smile and said "Mumma, its my birthday!" I smiled back and told him I was sad he is 12...he said not to worry, he will always be my Fred (my nick name for him) even when he is old. He promptly jumped out of the car and went to school. I drove off with a bit of a tear...ok more than a bit and realized that i have almost all of my children in the teen years. I am cool with it really...I am grateful they are so gloriously wonderful.

Brenda came over we had burgers and tater tots....he was so happy to have Brenda home. Those 2 have some sort of something that nobody can separate. 

He asked for an ice cream sandwich cake. I wasnt home that day so the girls made the cake. Its ice cream sandwiches layered with toppings and the "frosting" is Cool Whip...with some peanuts and cherries on top. He was so excited. I really love that boy. He has a wit and humor that I wasnt sure would come up in my children. He is definitely a bit different from the rest of them. He is smart, so very very kind, has the heart as big as the Rocky Mountains, a temper if you push him far enough, his humor is as dry as a stale cracker (much from the Thomson side)...he is a pleasure and joy to have in our life. He certainly was difficult to get here but a certain joy to have in our life. 

Some of Jakes favorite things: Reading scriptures...Questioning the Scriptures. Making people laugh. Riding his bike, some sort of sports, hunting with dad, watching movies with mom. What he doesnt like DISHES, LAUNDRY or any house work...who likes house work? He is so much fun. I love that kid. 

We sometimes burn stuff in our yard. It happens. Somehow we tend to have a ton of stupid cardboard at our house. Does anyone else have that? It seems to be everywhere. The nice thing about having our own house is that we can burn whatever we want behind our house. Just so happens that the "fire pit" is just by my bathroom window. Can you see Jake in this photo? He was being the fire creator.....There is always fun with fire around.

Our back yard is not quite where it should be yet but it is coming along. Shane and the boys are working hard on things. They have worked hard on getting the really bad weeds out of the yard. Jake has been on the roof taking care of the chimney with his dad. The boys have stacked more wood. The dog loves the back yard and so does Skyler and Brendas dog. They bring Jasper over and he hangs out in the yard with Jill. 

There is a bit of a joke going around the office. One day this sign showed up behind me. I work pretty hard. I tend to really pull in a lot of information and then figure out processes and pass them along. So I get a lot of things passed to me or sent to me in questions that I answer or somehow know the answer too. So this is behind me and stays there...i am kind of attached to it now. It kind of makes me feel like i AM actually important. I AM good at what i do. I AM worthy of all that I accomplish. It may seem like a snarky sign to others but to me it means something....especially from the person who put it up. She means more to me than she knows. She takes the time to know me, to understand me, to give me good feed back, to take the time support me (even if she doesnt do feels). I am beginning to really love her....just dont tell her.....

I hope you have someone like that??!! Someone who is there, somewhere just quietly routing for you and supporting you and loving you along the way...DO YOU? Think about it because you probably do not realize she/he is there....i have a few of them.....