He's 14-Can't Believe It!

Nine years ago next April, we met a little boy. He was 5 1/2, small in stature, with bottle-bottom glasses and old eyes. He was Christopher's biological cousin, just three weeks older than Chris. Jim and Millie had been asked to look after him for a couple of weeks. After a day or two we all knew we couldn't let him leave-we had all fallen for him.

Isaac was a lonely troubled little boy, left to mostly fend for himself in a scattered family. We needed him and he wanted us. The day he arrived, he became one of us and never looked back.

He's smart, frugal, loving and a hard worker. He had been in kindergarten when they got him, but he was so very young, his parents decided to keep him out and let him start with Chris. He did much better the second year.

Celebrating his dad's birthday at the Crab Pot in Seattle. He and his dad ate a whole order of crab boil-he can eat his weight every day.

He loves animals, money and his little sister and brother. He's so responsible that he has been babysitting the two little ones for almost a year now. He makes the honor roll most of the time-he's loved by his teachers. When Chris teases him for being a "geek" their mom says, "Be kind, someday a geek will sign your paycheck!"

About 8-9 years old with cousin Sydney.

Our lives would not be the same without this smart, serious, conscientious young man. He'll be a man soon and the world will benefit for him being in it.

Happy birthday, oldest grandchild-we are so happy to know you. Oh, and Grandpa and I don't mind you being a Broncos fan one bit!