HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAKE!

January 2nd is Jake's 26th Birthday! We want to wish him a Happy Birthday!

We are so proud of him.

The tree pictured is a white pine tree; a type Lorrie found somewhere in its mature state, and loved it because it has soft needles and is open and airy. So, she had Jacob dig a large hole in 2002 to plant it before he left on his mission. That way, she could watch the tree grow, knowing her son was also growing in so many ways down in another country where she could not hug him for two years. Instead, she nurtured the tree, which has become known affectionately by the family as "JAKE, THE TREE." Not to be confused with "Jake, the person." In its early years, the tree looked rather pathetic, and spindly; not quite unlike what we all think of as Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. But, as you can see, "Jake, the Tree" has begun to take shape, grow tall, and fill in with maturity and wisdom. It is somewhat representative of "Jake, the person," as we celebrate his birth. Son and tree will only get better with age.

(Sorry, this turned out more "sappy" than I had planned.)