Evan's 21st

On May 7th Evan turned 21.

Evan was our 6th grandchild and 4th grandson.

He's a very important part of this large family

and a very important part of this beautiful family.

I wrote about Evan for his birthday last year in this post.  Visiting there will show links to all his other posts that together tell lots about Evan and show how he's changed through the years so I'll just post a few pictures here.

and talk about what's been going on in Evan's life during the past year.  After high school it was important to him to prove to himself and everybody else that he could make it on his own.  And that's what he did.  Even after a job change meant his parents and sister moving almost 2,000 miles away and his older brother being over an hour away, he persevered and did fine.  Eventually though, he realized there was a better life out there that could be his if he went to school.  So he made a decision, wholeheartedly supported by this parents, to move back home, get a job so he could save some money, and go back to school.  So in December, we were thrilled to go to Colorado Springs and pick him, as many of his belongings as we could fit in the van, and Quentus up and head to Florida. 

Evan got a job at Publix right after he got to Florida and although he was only able to work a few months before his family moved to Georgia, he picked up some valuable work experience and managed to save a good amount of money.

In December Evan and his family visited Gulf Shores for the holidays with our big extended family and while he was there he debuted a song he had written and played it with his cousin, Jeremy.  This performance left no doubt that not only was he a skilled bass guitar player but a gifted composer as well.

In May the family completed their move from Florida

to Georgia.

And now his plans are to get a job, save money, and go to school while living at home.  And his goals include buying a car, getting his core curriculum classes done, and then going to UCCS to start working towards a degree in environmental science and geography.

In the meantime he's been playing the guitar as much as possible and helping his parents get the new house situated.

So that tells a lot about the changes in Evan's life lately and what his goals are for the future but there's so much more I'd want to say about him.  First of all, as I browse his picture file, I'm reminded that there was a time when he was very young when all he really really wanted was to be a big brother.  And then it happened.  He sure loved his little sister.

And obviously some things never change.

And then I remember how close he and his big brother were

and, again, some things never change.

Also, Evan is very grateful to his parents for the opportunity they're giving him and plans to make the most of it!

And I have to add that Evan is sweet, kind, loving, smart, and helpful.  He's always considerate and sensitive to the feelings of others.  He's a very hard worker and strives to excel in whatever job he is doing.  We're looking forward to what the future holds for him and we're betting it will include music - maybe as a sideline but definitely a big part of his life.  He has too much talent to not take advantage of it!  So Evan, we're glad you had a happy although somewhat subdued 21st and we're hoping the coming year is your best one yet but only half as amazing as the many more to come!  We love you so much and could not be more proud of you!

Emily's 21st

On May 5th, Emily turned 21!

She was our 2nd granddaughter and 5th grandchild.

Emily is a very important part of this large family

and a very important part of this beautiful family.

I wrote about Emily last year on her birthday in this post and going there will lead to more links showing lots of pictures and stories about her.

So I'll just put a few pictures in here showing how she's changed through the years.

and talk about what's going on in Emily's very busy life right now.  She still shares a townhouse near her college campus with her friend Brooke and enjoys taking care of herself and her home.

She continues to go to school and in about a year she will be sporting another cap and gown because she graduates next spring from college with a Bachelor of Business Degree with a Major in Marketing.

Her hard work has paid off because she has a GPA of 3.7 and just made the Dean's List for the 3rd time.

She's working part-time at the Buckle (which she enjoys), going to school full-time, and saving her money the best she can (because it's extra hard with a 40% employee discount at The Buckle).  

One thing that Emily depends on, believes in, and recommends to everybody is having a planner and writing everything down.  Not only does it keep her on track but there's that feeling of accomplishment every time she crosses something off her list.

Emily's schedule is going to be heavy for awhile too.  She's on track to pick up 13 credit hours over the summer - 6 in the first term and 7 in the second and has been asked to do public relations for a school club next year based on a presentation she did on social media marketing.

Another important fact about Emily is that she enjoys coffee - hot

or cold.

But all kidding aside, the most important things about Emily are not her grades, her work ethic, or her love for coffee.  The most important things about Emily are her sincerity, her sweet and loving personality, and her loyalty to family and friends.  She's also motivated, smart, and practical.  I heard her conversation with her mother when she described her celebration on her 21st birthday.  She said she was not crazy, had a few drinks, and spent the evening with a lifelong friend who came to town to help her celebrate.

Emily has always been so sweet and quirky and fun.  We miss little Emily 

but we're excited about and looking forward to re-connecting with adult Emily.  

And we're proud of her and love her so much!  We can't wait to see what the future holds for her!  And of course we're happy that she had a wonderful birthday and we're hoping the coming year is her best one yet but only half as amazing as the many more to come

Happy Birthday, wonderful Emily!  It's a little late but it couldn't be more heartfelt!

Photo credits go to Emily's friend Zoe.