Happy 10th Birthday, Joseph!

Joseph, you are thoughtful, kind,

and loving.

You are great at noticing the things that others often look past - a flower in bloom, a bird chirping in the trees, a beautiful sunset, the first star in the night sky, a person in need of a hug.

You have such a wide range of interests - from basketball, to cooking, from playing video games, to sewing, from wrestling with Dad, to snuggling tiny babies. I love that about you - how you can be rough and tumble or soft and gentle.

You are a great example to so many people. Even though you don't realize, most of the time, that others are watching you, they ARE, and many follow and emulate the things that you do.

You are a great friend to others - you are a safe place for others to approach when they are feeling left out, or self-conscious, or sad. Sometimes, being that kind of friend, makes you feel left out, but remember that it is a great talent, a wonderful gift, to be that kind of a friend.

You are handsome, with beautiful eyes, and a great skin color, and you look good with your hair cut way, super short (even though I begged you to not make me cut it - I loved your curls too). You look way too dreamy in your glasses, and you're growing up way too fast!

You have a funny sense of humor, and a great laugh. You're serious most of the time, and it's a special treat for us when your eyes light up with excitement.

You are smart, and a deep thinker. You let new information soak way down in before you're ready to share it or talk about it. You have a great memory store of interesting little facts, and it is fun to talk about history and archaeology with you. You are a great archer, basket thrower, Lego builder, tuna fish maker, cheese crisp creator, rock collector, game player, and Cub Scouter (not to mention, a great son). You are an amazing boy, with an incredible amount of faith and understanding in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I love you so very much, and I am so glad that you are my son! **********

Joseph requested a cake from the store this year, instead of a homemade one. I consented only because I had a coupon for a free cake. So, thank you Bashas' for Joseph's Birthday/Easter cake. For his birthday dinner he wanted sandwiches, chips, and Capri Suns. Such a meal, plus a cake from the store, made his the most unlabor-intensified birthday ever. Add a basket of Easter candy to boot, and it made for a great day. The treasure box he got from Erik and I has quite a few meanings:

1. It's a lockable box, big enough to store all kinds of treasures, instead of having them nicked by his younger brother and hid under the bed.

2. Joseph loves archaeology and the pursuit of buried treasures.

3. Joseph is OUR treasure!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSEPH! We LOVE YOU!