time with Lucy

from Lucy

Dear Daddy,

Happy Birthday! I am so thrilled that you are my dad. I love talking to you and hanging out with you. Mornings are my favorite time with you. I like the way you take care of me. I even like the way you fold my blanket at night better than mom. She means well I guess. Well, soon i'll be able to tell you these things myself, for now, i'll just spit up on you & laugh for you and let you know that way that I love you.

I love it when we are together. I can't wait to spend more time with you on Thursdays. I love you daddy!

love
Lucy

While you were in KZ

from your sister

Brian,

Happy 26th birthday!
It's funny to see your childhood pics online because I actually remember you looking that way. When Kara pulls my hair it reminds me of when you used to do that to me. I wanted you to grow up and be able to have a real conversation with me and I thought it would be forever until you did. Now you are married with a baby. Time flies it seems. Well you turned out pretty good. I'm glad you obeyed God's principles and avoided the regret and consequences of sin's trap that most young people fall into. That is something to be proud of.

The rugrat won't let me write any more so hope you have a great day!

Love, your sister Traci

from your parents

Brian,

Recently I found an old personality profile you did. It said that you don't have a need for prestige, status, or the approval of others. You tend to be objective, frank, and independent of the need for attention or recognition.You tend to be analytical and inner-directed. You were described as being supportive, tolerant, patient, calm, relaxed, predictable, consistent, reflective, and intellectual ( not bad!) Also it said that you were trusting, and enjoy interpersonal relationships that allow you to be of service to others. What more could a Dad want? For you a job well done is its own reward. So I know you don't need me to say it but we are thankful for you being who you are! I think Saint Francis of Assisi's prayer characterizes what you strive to be:

The Prayer of St Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Happy Birthday!
Love, Dad


Brian,

Wish we could be there for your birthday. I can't believe you are 26 and have a baby of your own. Can it be 10 years ago that we had your surprise 16th birthday party? We are so proud of you and all you have accomplished in such a short time. Give Joy and Lucy a hug and kiss for me. Hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Love,
Mom

so much fun

I love my time with you. It means more to me than time with anyone else. You are some kinda great.

You are my hero

4 yrs ago

This was taken Dec 2, 2002. We were up in PA visiting my parents, only months after dad was diagnosed. i've always loved this picture. It makes me think of what we might look like if we had dated in high school. I love that we still know how to have fun together

From All of us

Happy Birthday Brian!! We love you!

Streams

I'm so glad we are reading this together. RJF is my favorite!! Thanks for encouraging me to read this.

As Jesus says, "Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water" Jn 7:38

i look forward to this happening to us together. I love you!

26 favorite things about you

1. The way you love people makes me want to do the same.
2. Your music is so beautiful it encourages my soul.
3. You have such a great body! Your eyes, your lips and your toes to name a few of my favorites.
4. The way you design a website is so intuitive to what your client needs. You just have such a great way of getting into their head to know what they want.
5. Your greatest desire is to be like Jesus, I want to follow you in this pursuit.
6. You make me feel so beautiful. Like I’m sexy & witty & funny & smart, although most days I truly believe I am none of these things. When I’m with you I feel it.
7. Our daughter is so beautiful I love the features she has from you.
8. You love her so much & help me with her much more than most husbands do. Thanks so much for helping me feed her in the middle of the night, it was so sweet of you to get me thru that time!
9. The way you lead worship at Grace takes us to the next level. I can always count on you to escort us into His presence
10. You make a bad ass cup of coffee ☺
11. You appreciate all my little projects and encourage me in them. You are one of the only men that actually knows the difference between a purl and knit stitch. I LOVE THAT!
12. The way you run up the steps to our apartment, and I know you are coming home.
13. Your Saturday morning pancakes. Yum!
14. The way you write a song with such passion and creativity. You can hear all the instruments and special parts before you record it.
15. You look so sexy when you play piano. (I love the way you play too)
16. That you dig obscure music like Vic Chestnut and Leonard Cohen. EWW!
17. That we enjoy the same music (other than those I just mentioned)
18. The way we explain things to each other with little analogies the other would understand.
19. That you love my mom the way you do and take good care of her in her distress. True religion.
20. That we live simply and enjoy the good life.
21. That you make time to go to Tabor every Thursday morning.
22. You always think the best of others no matter what they have done wrong.
23. You wear the same black shirt and jeans to work most days, because you just don’t want to waste time picking out clothes. Thanks for the idea Steve!
24. You care about what we eat. Everything is intentional, organic, natural and healthy. Thanks for showing me how important that is.
25. Your Friends Chris x 3 You care so much for each one of them. I love that you are friends with people like them.
26. What I love most of all is that, you PICKED ME TO BE YOUR WIFE! Thanks so much!!! Happy Birthday Baby!

Member Hawai'i?

My favorite part of Hawai'i was sitting on the couch with you talking about all sorts of things. Hearing the wind thru our windows. Walking to the Market with you and hanging out with Patrick. I will never forget that wonderful time with you. I will never be the same. We felt Lucy move inside me for the first time while we were there. That was so cool.

Can't get it out of my head

"You leave us down here on our own, You leave us down here on our own, You leave us down here on our own, don't You see the damage that we have caused......"

love the way you love her

My Favorite Lyrics

Hey baby,

this is my first post for you on your Birthday Blog :) i'm so excited to work on this for your birthday. There are so many things i love about you and one of them is your music. I just thought i would share with you what my favorite of all your song lyrics are. While you gave me your private concert that Friday i was jotting down my favorites. I didn't want you to think i was writing some todo list or something :) i've told you before i really believe that the Lord has given you everything you write. I can't wait to get an album on my itunes. love you baby!

- there's a price to be paid for some peace in your soul, you must be ripped in pieces to be made whole, this is the love of the Lord
- cut off all of the branches that bear no fruit
- I'd rather be broken by you than be blessed
- be lost in your darkness than by my light led
- i can love my enemies, i can turn the other cheek, i wanna be the kind of man who does these things naturally
- He was just making small talk and i laid it on him
- ain't got much money, take what you've got, give it away till it turns to love
- You have the words of life that kill everything that's old
- he's the one dying but it's killing us all
- He comes, not late not soon
- seed must fall into the ground and die
- there is light all around me but, light comes in only where it's willed
- just like that, You fly away and leave us with a comforter that we can't see, have mercy
- You leave us down here on our own, don't You see the damage that we have caused?