My Derek



 Derek had his birthday on Saturday.  I love him.  He is a great husband, dad, son, brother, friend, etc., etc.  I always say that he is a bit like Mary Poppins -- "practically perfect in every way".  He disagrees.  I am right.  A good share of the good things that I do, that I get credit for, are Derek's idea.  He is very thoughtful and compassionate.  He is good at helping us all smile.  He works hard.  He plays hard.  He is a good man and I am thankful for him.

Derek had a busy birthday.  We spent a lot of the morning with family attending and celebrating our nephew Ethan's baptism.  Next we went home and sent off a picture message to our niece Maryn who was being baptized in the afternoon.  The puppets participated by being in the picture.  Derek returned Trisa and Tia's several calls and text messages that we had missed while we were out.  He put them on speaker phone while he unwrapped his presents.  I'm sure it was a thrill to hear the wrapping paper crinkle over the phone line -- but it was the closest we could come to having them here--which would have been our favorite. 

The pictures show our next adventure.

Derek, Dan, Kayli, Jake, and Connor at the beginning of the trail to the pine forest.

Dan Jake and Derek in the "fort" up in the woods.

Dan

I think Jake and I were still saying whatever long thing Derek told us to say before he snapped the picture.

When we got home I accidentally made about three cakes worth of frosting for a few cookies.  This is Derek right before he blew out his large candle.  Hopefully he'll get his wish.  That was a ginger cookie with cream cheese frosting.



Mmmmmm.

Next we did a little yard work for Derek's birthday, ate some food from Wendy's, and watched a movie.  All in all I think it was a good day for a good man.

Happy Birthday to my Derek.