Ben's Birthday

Happy Birthday, Ben!

Wow ... the big 4-0!  I seriously can't believe that we met when you were 17, and now you're 40!  And the amazing thing is, you just keep getting better! 

We love you lots.  Here's why ...

• Emery:  "I love Dad because he takes me golfing and he works hard and because he's my Dad."
• Sam:  "I love him because he plays Mario Kart with me and we watch football together."
• Luke:  "I love him because he beats me at Mario Kart, which is unbelievable."
• Mom:  "I could spend all day listing all the reasons I love you. But here's what I love the most ... you have the best sense of humor and you always make me laugh, and you truly are my best friend. You're the best! (Plus, you're smart, you're witty, you're kind, you're generous, you're compassionate, you serve, you're righteous, you work so hard, you have this amazing ability to make people feel good, you're the only person I know with water-repellent hair, etc., etc. See? I really could go on and on!)"

We love you!

26.2

I'm always amazed at the determination, motivation, and endurance of those who choose to run marathons.  You learn a lot by watching people push themselves both physically and mentally while striving to do their personal best.  There are some who finish quickly and make running 26.2 miles look quite easy.  There are some who barely break a sweat and look more like they're just out for a morning jog.  There are also those whose faces are beet red and they're drenched with sweat from the first mile.  It's an emotional thing to stand at the finish line and watch strangers run, stagger, and sometimes crawl over that line.

Ben ran the St. George marathon last weekend.  He did great and, thankfully, was able to run across that finish line.  Way to go, Ben!  We're proud of you!