Not so ODD.

As of this month, the boys have officially given up being ODD. 

Well, maybe they're still odd, but their ages are not. At the ages of 4, 6 and 8, I'm ready 

for an even year. :) Have I told you my theory that even years are smoother then odd ones? 

We'll just have to see if it holds true this year or if it's all psychological babble. 

Let's take a look at these three sweet boys and their individuality.

Luke: At the age of 8, you are shy and introverted with new people, but are comfortable and chatty with close friends and family. If someone outside your close circle asks you questions, you tend to clam up and stare blankly. And yet, with those you love you are confident and quick witted. You feel music through your body and can't help yourself from dancing, drumming, or singing in response to it. You can get lost in music and dance like crazy, forgetting that someone may be watching. You love to build with legos and create "scenes." Your imagination is limitless. You are very passionate and feel things deeply and can get caught in extremes. (sorry buddy, but I think I passed this along to you!) You are a perfectionist, which is a blessing and a challenge when it comes to school work. It can seem overwhelming to you to not understand your schoolwork perfectly the first time you see it. Fear of failure is high. You are a rule follower and quite upset when rules are not followed. You are very affectionate and not bashful about holding my hand or giving Daddy and I hugs and kisses. You love to eat vegetables and salads and while you like the idea of special treats you generally think they're too sweet. You are fiercely devoted to your brothers, but can also be fierce with them. You love to run and go to track club. You are discovering a joy for tennis and just generally like to be outside (no matter what the weather). You have a very sweet servant heart and understand the blessings of working hard. You've lost 8 teeth!

can you tell how much they were into this photo shoot?

Ethan: At the age of 6, you are my little monkey. You love to climb, wrestle and roll around. You are a very physical kid, knocking us down with your leaping hugs. You are generally shy with new adults and children. Up until your recent meeting with hornets, you were fearless. The multiple stings have brought out a bit more caution, but you are still my "extreme sports" guy. You love climbing at the climbing wall, but are not interested in organized sports. Crazy stunts on your bike make you excited. You've expressed an interest in gymnastics and swimming and this summer you are determined to learn how to dive off the diving board. Once you set your mind to something, you can do it and are not worried about failing. You just keep trying. Since the age of three, you have been a precise and detailed colorer. This year in art class, you continued to excel in other forms of art. You surprise many with your unbelievable focus for art, especially in light of how psychically active you are the rest of the time. You love to pretend play with playmobil toys with your brothers. You are definitely my meat and cheese boy, but you still enjoy your veggies. You love to dress up in costumes as long as you are in the privacy of your own home. This summer you've made great progress with your reading. You have a great love of animals (especially horses) and are so gentle with them. When you are sad, you love to have your "Doggie Dog" stuffed animal in your arms. In a school setting, you are quiet and respectful. You save your spunk for home or with those you are really comfortable. You've lost 1 tooth!

Aaron: At the age of 4, you are our little snuggler. You love to sneak into Mommy and Daddy's room in the night and snuggle up with Daddy. You still have a little baby fat and are so soft and squishy to hug. When you are nervous or shy, you hang open your mouth with a cute little expression. You love any kind of sport: football, baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, anything! You can throw a ball up in the air and whack it with a bat or racket easily. You are surprisingly good at dribbling an adult size basketball. Sports seem to be a part of who you are. You love the idea of doing school, but are not particularly interested in any type of worksheet or coloring. You love to pretend with little duplo men or lego men or playmobil men. You can keep yourself busy for long stretches pretending with your little men but can also hold your own pretending with your brothers. You love babies and have been known to ask when God is going to give us one, or two. You are taking your second swimming class this summer and making good progress. While you love playing with your brothers, you still love your time alone. You can be very silly and giggly. What a wonderful and contagious giggle you have! You are very ticklish. You are very social and eager to play with new friends and neighbors. 

No matter how hard being a Mommy is at times, I am so grateful for the privilege of 

taking care of our three boys. What a gift to watch them grow and mature!

The hardest, but best job I've ever had!