How they do grow

Joseph, my third born celebrated his fourteen birthday today. I looked back over the last few years and was struck by how much he's changed--and stayed the same.

Joseph turning eleven


Joseph turning twelve


Joseph (and girlfriend who is now--to my relief--just a friend) turning thirteen. (Used a borrowed camera)


Joseph today.



What none of these pictures demonstrates is who Joseph really is. Joseph is in possession of a wickedly fast sense of humor. We are all (even his too cool older brother) often startled by Joe's quick come backs and how he can take an everyday statement and turn it on its end. Phrases none of us think about are suddenly fresh and new coming out his mouth. There has never been an "icky girl" stage with this one. He's liked them since he was old enough to know there was a difference. Interestingly he's been talking about "when I grow up and have kids . . ." for years. (He also has their names picked out and assures me that whoever he marries will simply have to like them). Joe wants to be a biology teacher when he grows up and often spends hours with his microscope, looking at everything from the dog's fleas (ewwwww) to water from the lake, to samples of dirt from the yard. He's just as fascinated by what they find at the end of their telescope on clear nights. He is a great kid.

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Footnote: The Easter Bunny brought me one of the coolest presents I've gotten in a long time so I hung it right up on the wall. The only problem I can see with it is that it clashes badly with the whole sunflower motif in my office (Yes, the same woman who loves X-files enough to own every episode, who uses them as lullabies on nights she can't sleep, who writes about evil witches and warlocks, and government conspiracies, likes sunflower wallpaper). So I'm thinking about redecorating so that it all matches. Maybe a bunch of old filing cabinets and a bulletin board with newspaper clippings and stuff. What do you guys think?