Matthew Clinton - Yesterday and Today

Today is Matthew's 14th birthday.

Matthew is an important part of this large family.

And an even more important part of this smaller family.

I wrote about Matthew in these posts:  2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

So they tell a lot about Matthew 'through the years' and these pictures show how his appearance has changed in that time...

but now I want to talk about Matthew in just the past year.

As always, he's been popular with all his cousins but particularly one of the younger ones.

And he's continued to be a great helper to his dad (or anyone else that needs a hand),

and a friend to animals

And birds (I think),

Also, this year he's taken a hiatus from volleyball to concentrate on basketball.

He was Master of Ceremonies at his brother's Eagle Scout induction ceremony.

And this year he was inducted into the Order of the Arrow brotherhood.  The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America.  It uses American indian-styled traditions and ceremonies to bestow recognition on scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the ideals of scouting - including leadership and service.

He visited Myrtle Beach over the summer and of course Gulf Shores over Christmas.

And he's continued to be the all-around, wonderful, engaging, athletic, smart, and sweet boy he's always been.  Only now he's 14 and we're wishing him his best birthday ever but one only half as awesome as the many more to come!

Happy Birthday, Matthew!