Jake is TWELVE

And truly our Gentle Giant.  January 25, 2019. It has been a month since we celebrated his Big Day, but live moves at a break neck speed, and this post is a hard one to write, so it kept getting pushed to the back burner.

Jake.  TWELVE.  Doesn't even seem possible.  He is the third of four children, and many days displays all of the typical characteristics of a middle child, but some days he is the exact opposite.  He is wise beyond his years, funny and witty, tall and proud, so intelligent and quick to learn new things, but also so gentle, kind, thoughtful, and sweet.  I remember saying when he was a toddler and young boy that "everyone needed a little bit of Jake Weaver in their lives."  While he is not as "little kid cute" as he was back in those days, the endearing qualities that led me to repeat that over the years are still there.  His eyes may not be as blue as they were when he was a baby, but they are still the windows to his soul, and there is so much going on in there you can't help but look into them and wonder just what he's thinking.  But don't wait too long, because then he will start talking, and it can be hard to get him to shut up!  He is passionate about many things, and knowledgeable as well, so the things he can tell you are utterly amazing!

Here a a few pictures to remind us how far we've come!

This is Evie and Jake 1 month after his birthday
See below for the pic of Evie when we brought her home.

Jake started celebrating his birthday as early in the month as he possible could!  I think every dinner we ate for 2 weeks was his "birthday dinner" so he got to pick.  I know we went to New China - his favorite that everyone else kinda hates, but there were a couple of other nights out that were deemed his as well!  He also has a basketball tournament the weekend of his birthday - hence not waiting to eat a "heavy" meal that weekend.  So, suckered us out of some extra meals along the way.

He celebrated with new shoes, a new bed, and a new picture to hang above his bed.  He celebrated with his friends at school, his team, and his family.  On his actual birthday night - Friday night, we loaded everyone up and had dinner at Fuzzy's Taco Shop.  It was loud and crazy and so much fun!

And, we ended the weekend on Sunday after we finished up the tournament with a loss by brightening EVERYONE'S day with a new addition!  Welcome to the family, Everest Pearl!

Everest Pearl "Evie" came home to us the Sunday after Jake's 12th birthday

Jake, coming in at 5'10" tall and 170 lbs, had QUITE a 12th birthday!  No real "party" to speak of, but with all the love and adventure he got to experience along the way, I think the memories made outweigh a party any day!  Welcome to your last tween year, Big Guy!  Embrace it - the real fun beings next year!

We love you BIG!

Don't Blink

I did.  Blink, that is.  Not on purpose, really.  I mean, "THEY" told me not to, too.  But I did.  And the girls grew up.  So fast.  My Twister babies are now twelve year old young ladies with opinions, and dreams, and drama.  And they have been 12 year olds for 2 ENIRE WEEKS! I guess I was blinking again...

I really have been in a bit of denial about this birthday.  As usual, since late April through the end of May is traditionally super busy, it snuck up on us a bit.  You known, someone said to me during the week of their birthday something about how "next year" when they turn 13 is the BIG ONE.  While I didn't say it out loud, my first thought, screaming in my head, was, "Holy Cow, if I am this emotional this year, I am going in to hiding next year!  And to me, this one is HUGE!  I don't even WANT to think about next year.  NEXT YEAR!?!?!  Let me get through this one first!". I cannot believe they are twelve.

They had a hard time deciding what to do for a "party." The last 2 years we have had a sleepover for them.  2 years ago was not a great experience, and last year was plain awful, so we had vetoed that idea.  The girls decided they wanted to take a few friends to see a movie. Disney's "Million Dollar Arm" was coming out the weekend after their birthday, so we decided to get a group together to go see that on Saturday afternoon.  They seemed pretty excited about it.  But, they have the coolest bonus dad EVER!  You know what he did Friday night as a surprise (to us all)? He drove around town to their friends' homes and let them "ambush" them - ring the bell, get parental permission, pack a bag, and get in the car as quickly as possible - for a sleepover!  The "Ambush Sleepover" was born.  Emma and Lara loved it, and so did their friends.  Such a fun way to celebrate!  And the movie on Saturday? SUCH a great story!  They all really enjoyed it - and so did Britt, Jake and I!  (We sat away from the girls and their friends - just watching them from a far...). After the movie, we took all the kids home, and the girls went with their Other Dad for the rest of the weekend.  So, without much planning and the usual fanfare, we had a GREAT birthday weekend with them!

And then, life with 12 year olds was under way.  It is dance recital season around here so we have all that going on with Lara.  She has had studio rehearsal, picture day, junior company clinic and tryouts, and dress rehearsal is today.  Emma ended volleyball season and has found a way to spend as much time as she can with her friends away from this house.  LOL!  School ended.  They both received certificates for being on the Straight A Honor Roll first semester and Lara received an outstanding music student award.  Emma scored highly on her math placement test and was recommended for Pre-AP math next year by her teacher, and she has accepted the challenge.  7th grade, here we come - ready or not! I simply could not be more proud of these two amazing orange haired, spunky girls!

But I blinked.  It all happened so fast.  There was a very real time in my life when I thought they would be the only babies I ever had.  It was not what I had dreamed, but I knew I was so lucky, and so very blessed.  Not long after that there was a time in my life where it was JUST US GIRLS!  The three of us, surviving on our own, trying to conquer the world; they were my world.  Then we ended up here - this large, loud family with an amazing man leading us in Christ and working his tail off to provide for us (tween girls are expensive), two little brothers in Jake and Finn to pester and love, guide and teach.  (Emma and Lara have changed HUNDREDS of diapers and gotten invaluable baby sitting experience - things I had no idea about at 12!). They are smart, happy, God-loving servants of Christ.  They are sweet and compassionate, and they both love to cook.  They each have very distinct differences, but it's in the similarities that my heart smiles.  They are 2 peas in a pod, even when life takes them in different directions.  I am so proud to be their momma.  So lucky to guide them as they grow.  So blessed by their love.

Don't blink. Don't wish away the hard stages of childhood.  Cherish them.  Embrace them. Then love the outcome...