My baby is...39! Happy birthday, Joshua!

Joshua was not quite 1 year old here...What a little cutie! 

 

This was at the farm.  That's Nor, the lighter brown dog.  As you can see, Joshua was loving being around the dogs!

 

He obviously wasn't walking on his own, but Patti was giving him some encouragement!

We moved to Oregon, and here we were at Lithia Park in Ashland. 

Some of these pictures have been on this blog before, but some I just love so much, I keep putting them on!

Like this picture of Joshua and his Daddy!

I can remember those pajamas so well...I can remember the texture of them, the lightness of them...  Brushing his teeth, sometimes, this was such an ordeal...

In August of 1978, my Dad and brother came up to Oregon to see us.  I was a bit pregnant with Gabrial...although we didn't KNOW it was Gabrial!

 

This has always been one of my favorite pictures.  This was in Oregon..on Red Blanket Road!

 

This was at an area in Oregon called Mammoth Pines.  This is in July of 1978.  This is Aunt Jane holding Joshua, me, and Mimi.

Below, is Uncle Charlie with Joshua at Crater Lake.

 Also at Crater Lake, Joshua and I (next to the horse) were listening to this guy tell his story.  He was 'in character."  Joshua doesn't look totally interested, but maybe he was!

 

John David, Joshua, and Daddy

 I'm sure Joshua was saying 'cheese'...because he said it so often!

 We went to Crater Lake...

and to the many parks along Highway 62 to see the huge trees...

Joshua loved all our family coming to visit...and of course, I did too! 

 This was out in our backyard.  Joshua LOVED to watch all the animals back in the pasture.  It was such a great place!  He was such a play-outside-boy...it's where he always wanted to be!

 It was getting close to the time when he wouldn't be an only child...

 

Joshua always loved to talk on the phone...usually to his Saddie and his Granddad...

 

playing outside...

 Fast forward to 1982 and here Joshua is now a big brother to Gabrial and to Lindsey.  We often flew to Texas...the 3 kids and me...that was certainly fun!

 September, 1982

Joshua was now 6 years old.  He had gotten this bike "from Ray" which was written on the back of the photo.  I don't know if this is my cousin, Ray, or who.  I can't remember.  But like I said, Joshua loved to be outside.  As he got older, he was always out riding his bicycle. 

September, 1983

Joshua was 7 and Gabrial was 5

We lived on this corner...and our friends, the Thompsons, would come to our house in the mornings.  Sheree, Kim, and Elizabeth would wait and catch the bus with Joshua and Gabrial.  Sheree is in the lavender shirt, and Kim is in the white.  The girl next to Sheree is Amy Woolridge, who I don't even remember.  (her name is written on the back of the photo!)

I love the way Joshua looks like he's got his arm around Gabe...watching out for his little brother. 

Now fast forward to July of 2014!  Joshua is still a protector...in so many ways!  His job, for sure, but also with his family, even when we're thousands of miles away.  If there's bad weather, he calls from Thailand or London to make sure we're OK.  When his Dad was flying in from Texas recently, he called from London to make sure he got home OK. 

He's a planner.  

He'll start making plans for a holiday before the previous holiday is even over.

"What are we going to do, Jutz?" he'll ask.

and then he'll start asking,

"Have you talked to Pops yet?"

I love him...

so much!

He loves when we're together....

just as his mama does (that's me).

When he was here this summer, I loved having all 3 of my kids together...it's so rare.

Joshua...I knew he was "Joshua" even without ultrasounds...I called him Joshua throughout my pregnancy....my friends would say, "How's Joshua doing?" when I'd waddle past them in the halls at work. 

Happy happy birthday to you, Joshua!

I love you so much!