Happy #9 to Parker!!

As much as I like to wish my kids a happy birthday on their actual day, I have failed this time!!

We had such a big day on Sunday, Parker's 9th birthday, that I ended up in bed at 9:00 with horrible stomach pain, while we had company at our house!! Nothing says "welcome to our house; we're so glad you came; let's have a great time together" like "I think I'm sick - excuse me while I go to bed!!"

Anyway, the day started out at church, followed by a Memorial Day picnic outside. From there we went to Parker's place to party - Tornado Terry's!! Yes, it sounds corny but it was actually a lot of fun!! We paid a flat fee and the boys played video games until their hearts' content. It was pretty cool to just go up to a video game and push "play" and it just start playing!! There were plenty of games to choose from, but I found myself returning over and over to Pacman and Galaga!! Blast from the past, for sure!! Sadly, I couldn't figure out Donkey Kong to save my life!! Parker had a great time gaming with his friends!!

Parker and his friends - Corey, Cameron, and Adrian

Parker got lots of great gifts -

And maybe the best gift of all, according to Parker, a new addition to our family:

Meet Parker's new parakeet - Rocky!!

Parker brings so much life and laughter to our family. He sees the world in a way that is unique and gives the phrase "never a dull moment" new layers of meaning!! Parker is thoughtful, caring, kind, and loving most of the time!! He is super smart and is always amazing me with new facts that he's learned. Parker's got a bright future ahead and I can't wait to see the paths that God leads him down!! Love you, Parker!!