My first born turns 12!!!!

April 2nd. My baby! I can't believe he's twelve! He was the CUTEST baby ever. He could have been a model baby. He had blond curly hair and bright blue eyes. When he was about 6 months old and I was working in photography that boy had more "glamour shots" then most adults! We posed him in a denium jacket with his hair all spike up. I propped him in his blue nike outfit with his chubby checks! He didn't like to be held as much as my girls. He liked to be down and on the go. He was a very GOOD baby! At two weeks old he slept through the night. And I'm talking 7:30 pm till 7:30 am! He rarely cried. We took him out to eat all the time and he was perfect. I'll never forget the first time we took him out to eat. We went to Carlo's O Kelly's. I think he was just a couple of weeks old. Jeff wanted way in the back corner in case he would cry, that way nobody would be staring at us! He slept the whole way through dinner. Wow dinner out with 3 kids is a bit different then back in those days! Our first baby (puppy) was our maltese white fu-fu puppy, "macho". Anyone that knew us then knows what I'm talking about. I was ridiculous with doggy outfits and that dog spent more nights in a hotel when we traveled them most adults have. But anyway Ryker and Macho became fast friends. Macho followed him everywhere. I have the cutest picture of Macho sitting next to baby Ryker in his carrier when we first brought him home. Sadly, Macho passed away on Ryker's 8th birthday. Macho was 14 yrs. old. He wants another dog, but for now we have our hands full with 3 kids!
Ryker has always been easy going. He has a big heart and wears his heart on his sleeve just like his Mom. I love that! Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs - Chapter 22:6
He has also become a big help to me! He does many chores and helps with the girls when needed. He also gives an awesome backrub! (he'll hate reading this when older!) One thing his teacher said at school that really sums up Ryker is, "He has gained the respect of all his peers." He is new to this school and it seems he knows everyone and they all really like him! He has always been well liked. He is very fast at making friends and they are very important to him. When we moved to this neighborhood he went to the neighbors homes with Raven and knocked on the door to see if there were any kids that lived there that were their ages! He now has several friends on the street that stop by all the time, usually wanting his advise on some video game or the computer game runscape!
He is definately a computer kid. He loves all the games. He would have rather had a system that was more of a "gamers" system then the wii. He still loves basketball and soccer. But I have to make him do it! He was also is in band on the drums. He was taking private lessons but didn't really like it. So now he does it all through the school. We might pick up some more lessons again. He'd also like to learn guitar. He is a really good artist. He's more like his dad that way. We might get him in some local art classes they do throught this really cool program at one of the middle schools. For his birthday he wanted a new bike and skateboard. He's hoping to get enough money to save up for an ipod touch but would also like more games. I'm encouraging him to get outside more so I'm ok with the bike and skateboard!
When Ryker was little and was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he responded, "I want to be the boss and own my own cookie store!" I was thrilled! Maybe he would have a huge franchise of stores with the best cookie receipe in the world! He has said he wants to be a police officer and also someone that works on computers. He could design his own video games! Jeff has him write reports on things about computers since he wants computer time each week. This way he learns how they got started and what some of the termonology is. If you want to be in the IT business you have to constantly keep studying to keep up on how fast it's growing!
I asked Ryker what he would like for a special birthday dinner. He wants potato soup! Raven then got upset saying I've never asked her that before. (drama). So Grandma is making cornbread, I'm making potato soup and haven't decided on his cake yet!
Happy 12th birtday Ryker! Hope you have a great day. You'll always hold a special place in my heart! Keep growing in faith like you have been, help others like you do, and always strive to learn more! Love you!

Leave Madonna alone

They say she wants to adopt again and people are critizing her for it. Shame on them! "Judge ye not and ye will not be judged." She also talked of her shock at the reaction to the adoption of her little boy. In an interview with Paris Match she said: "It was not me who chose Malawi, but it chose me. "A native of the country contacted me though my association, Spirituality for Kids which I publicise in all my shows. Some of us, all that we do - is an act of faith. It is easy to talk or type the 'words of Christ' but it is indeed harder to walk the walk of Christ. Sometimes we do indeed need an attitude adjustment. I hate hearing others being critizied for what they do. We do not know the whole story and wouldn't it be better to pray for them and the best outcome for the situation?
As Barbara Walters said, and she adopted her daughter, "It is pure love to adopt"! You can't be selfish to adopt, you can't hope they look like you and have your characterisics and traits, they won't have your genes or blood line. You just want to love a child and have them love you back! Right? This little girl she wants to adopt has no parents. Don't you think the life she would have with Madonna would be better then what she has now? She would never go hungry, she would have the freedoms we have in America. (or where ever Madonna lives) I can totally relate to Madonna for wanting to adopt again. Those that have the love for children have a hard time knowing when it's time to be done. Time to be done adopting or time to be done having children. I have a dear friend that just told me she has always wanted to adopt, she has 4 biological kids, and her husband doesn't want to adopt at this point because of his age. So they just signed up to be foster parents! She wants infants. She loves to care for babies. I am SO excited for them! We have a family at our church that has 10 children. I can't remember how many but most are adopted from the foster care system. AND Leanne has started her own non profit organization to help foster kids and their families. http://www.familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com sorry but the link option isn't working for me so you need to copy and paste it into your browser. There is a big gala May 23rd to raise money so that all the foster kids have new back packs and items they need for school. They have "loves closet" which has new or slighty used clothes for the foster families. Leanne has a great family. I got the pleasure of having 2 of her kids ride with us for 2 1/2 hours to church camp last fall. And we get to see them on Wednesday nights when I take the kids to "kids for christ". Maybe in the future we will be foster parents!

"Miracles happen every day! WE just have to open our eyes and see them!"