Here's my Jesse-bug today. He picked the kind of cake he wanted to take to school today. It's kind of a Bostom Cream cake (but with chocolate cake) with pudding and Cool Whip. He also chose to chop up Kit Kat bars to sprinkle on the top.

Happy birthday, sweetie! We love you SO much!!!

(update on the cake... I picked Jesse up from school today and I asked him, "How did your class like the cake?" His reply - "They said it tasted better than it looked." What?! Yes, you guessed it... Jesse dropped the cake-taker on his way into class and it smeared all over the inside of the Tupperware. *sigh* At least I got a picture of it looking nice -- goober... still love ya, though.) :)

Jesse this past summer -- fishing for the first time in our pond.

I think he's about 5 in this picture. Is he cute or what?!

We've traded the cape for a full Buzz outfit (and no, it's not Halloween). I remember finding him in the dryer one day (stinker) so, thankfully I got a picture.

Mmmmm! Pizza!

I had completely forgotten about this stage... where he wore a cape at every waking moment. (around 4 years old?)

I found this one in an album and laughed out loud -- how CUTE!

I am stealing Amy's great idea and posting a little "tribute" to Jesse. :) I can't find his baby book right now so we'll start at age 6 months. Look at that poochy lip!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSE MICHAEL!! :)

Today is Jesse's 9th birthday! I canNOT believe it. Time has flown by and my baby boy is BIG!... well, he's always been big, but you know what I mean. :)

JESSE MICHAEL ANDERSON

Nicknames: Jess, Jesse-bug, Jesse-beast, Jess Mike, Jessica when in need of a haircut ;)

Words that best describe him: sweet, sensitive, helpful, fun-loving... and tall

Favorites...

color - red
drink - Diet Pepsi
meal - macaroni & cheese and mashed potatoes
snack - popcorn or chips and queso dip
outdoor activity - playing Ghost in the Graveyard
indoor activity - dodgeball
subject in school - math
toy - Nintendo DS
game - Apples to Apples
animal - penguin
memory - when I played dodgeball and never got out! That was awesome!
song - Gone by TobyMac

What he wants to be when he grows up - a landscaper

What pets he wants to have - a turtle, a dog and a cat

Where he wants to live - near Conner's house (his friend from school)

Where he wants to vacation - Myrtle Beach or Disney

Favorite verse - I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.

Go SAM!!!

Wish I could figure out how to get good action shots AND good lighting with my camera

I know it's a little blurry (sorry)... here's Isaac playing basketball on the "preparing for Junior High" 5th & 6th grade team. It's REALLY fun to watch! :) Go Eagles!!!

Uh-oh.... BUSTED!!

This picture is a belated "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to the big four-year olds, Kira and Bailee. :)

... and shootin' some hoops

Brothers... just hanging out

A sweet friend sent me a passage the other day as an encouragement (thank you!)...

2 Cor. 4:1, 7-9

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be OF GOD and NOT OF US.

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...

I CANNOT change on my own. I just can't do it - I've tried for years. And honestly, sometimes that IS discouraging... but I shouldn't "lose heart"! -- because I'm NOT crushed, not in despair, not forsaken!!, not destroyed. And my weakness is so that He can show HIS strength.

Please pray...

For those of you who don't often click on the links to my friends' blogs -- please click on Noelle's blog and pray, pray, PRAY for little Annabelle.

This is hilarious - he's really just rubbing his eye but doesn't it look like he's saying, "oh, man, I cannot BELIEVE she is taking pictures of me this early in the morning! Give it a REST, Mom!!"

Don't look Jen - it's another picture of Ben. But MAN, look at that? And this is first thing this morning - he hasn't even eaten yet. He's so sweet. :)

A litte bit of craziness in Ben's room this morning. Ahhhh...

Now THIS was a photo op I could NOT pass up!! -- Kate's take on the band concert. :)

Isaac had a band concert. It was SO cute! And I know this is a bad picture - sorry, it was the best I could do. Isaac is seated in front of the boy who is standing (he's a little bit to the right in the photo).
They really did a great job. :)

Ooooh boy. Is this what we have to look forward to? :) Kate had "slumber party" day at preschool last week. They wore pajamas and slippers to school, brought their blankies and stuffed animals (Kate took "Ratty Pink Bear" of course) and the little girls put makeup on and painted their nails. I guess that's what little girls do at slumber parties, eh? :) So, here she is all dolled up after her "slumber party."

Here you go, Miss Jem. :) Here's our Sam - we DO take pictures of him :) ... and this is what you get when you ask for a pose from a 12 year old. Just wait... your day is coming.

"Deacon Todd" and family. This is the picture we had to get to put on the bulletin board in the church lobby to show people who exactly "Deacon Todd" is. Lovely, eh? Isaac looks less then thrilled, Ben is fussing... certainly not the best picture we've ever taken as a family. Oh well.

I am a terrible tooth-fairy!...

Ugh... poor Kate. She lost her second tooth yesterday and for some reason, was EXTREMELY excited about it. She couldn't wait for that quarter! However, she knew that she had to have Isaac make a call to the tooth-fairy to let her know (because, Kate says, Isaac knows her number). :) You see, the "tooth-fairy" forgot last time she lost a tooth and Isaac had to call her the next morning and clear things up. Whew!

So last night, Kate goes to bed all excited and anticipating her quarter the next morning. And I even put a quarter on the steps so I would remember to sneak up there and put it under her pillow.

Little Miss Princess comes down this morning and the look on her face reminded me IMMEDIATELY that *shoooot* I had forgotten to put that quarter under her pillow! Not mad or irritated, just extremely disappointed... and sad! I am the worst tooth-fairy EVER!! :(

I said, "Good morning, how are you?" "NOT good." "Why?" "The tooth-fairy forgetted my quarter AGAIN!" Uuuuugh! Poor thing. I said, "Are you sure?" "Yes. I looked under my pillow and there -- is -- NOTHING -- there!" "Well, how 'bout if you go ahead and go the bathroom and then I'll go up and help you look." Soooo... as she's in the bathroom I rush up to her room with TWO quarters and sneak them under the pillow next to the one she had been sleeping on.

So, up she comes, tromps over the bed and takes the entire pillow off of the bed. "See, NOTHING there." I said, "Well, why don't you look around a little more." Wow! - she finds the TWO quarters under the next pillow and I can't even describe the look on her face. You know how people talk about "the joy of Christmas on a child's face" (blah blah blah whatever)... this was WAY better. Christmas is all ramped up and the kid knows they're getting something. THIS was so much better because her face went from fallen to.... oh, she was so excited! And TWO quarters too! She just started laughing and laughing and said, "Ooohhhh! The tooth-fairy got mixed up! She thought I was sleeping on the OTHER paynk pillow! Haaa ha ha ha ha!" It was priceless.....

Ahhhh -- catastrophe avoided. Whew! :) But I think from now on, TODD is going to have to take over tooth-fairy duty. I am lousy at this!

Settle in... (REST in My sovereignty)

I came across this verse in devos yesterday and it just struck me...

Jeremiah 29:5-7
Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.
Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and takes wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters - so that you may be increased there and not diminished.
And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive and pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace you will have peace.

Mandy Shisler could say it SO much better than I ever could - she has such a beautiful way with words... but in my own humble way I'll just say that this passage hit home for me. Not that I've been carried away captive or anything :) but God's telling His people to settle in, get adjusted to the place where He has them, rest and relax in His sovereignty... build houses, plant gardens... you're going to be here for a while so you might as well enjoy it. I KNOW this is where God wants us - and I've been praying for a love for my house and for smack dab in the middle of Ohio where there is no snow. And when I shared this with Todd he made the joke that I did "beget" a son since we moved back. So I guess I'm on the right track. :)

Anyway -- I'm not very eloquent, but, again... my "journal" here, and I wanted to write this down for me more than anyone...