Happy Birthday Nurik!

Balloons are very funny!

Happy Birthday to Nurik!

You are 3 years old today. We are not really sure that you know what that means especially since you have received goodies and toys from us every day that you have seen us; But, we celebrate your birth with you today because, for us, it means that 3 years ago, God was starting a path for us that not even we were thinking about at that time. 3 years ago today, you were born, early they tell us, and you weighed a whole whopping 2 lbs. The bible tells us that God formed you and knew you even in your biological mother's womb. He fearfully and wonderfully made you with a plan in mind, we have no doubt! How could we possibly know that 3 years ago, God was directing a heavenly orchestra in His creation of you and we know that much went into keeping you safe and protected for 3 years because even starting out at 2 lbs, you have beaten all odds and were brought through difficult circumstances to be here this day. we are sure you do not understand what is about to happen to you but we know that God has given us a great honor and responsibility to take on such a special boy to make our family.. We are very sure God has big plans for Nicholas Carmon! You share your birthday with your mama's Grandpa Carmon and now you share his name too. If I could make a selfish wish, it would be that you will have lots of years to get to know your Grandparents like we knew our Grandparents. Your great grandpa Carmon left a legacy of great character, generosity, and love. Any one that knew him, never forgot him even to this day. Your Grandpas will carry on the same legacy to you and probably add a few more like southern gospel music, golf, the Packers or will it be the Cowboys, hmmm? So, the best birthday present that we can give you for your 3rd year is a family. Your Papa and Mama grow to love you more every day and we feel that you are loving us a little more every day too. Becoming a family will be a great journey for all of us. we will not be perfect, I promise but we will pray ever day that God will show us how to bring out the unique, beautiful, person that He created you to be. With our gift of a family, you will not just be getting Mama and Papa but more love than you can comprehend right now from Atas (Grandmas), Apas (Grandpas), Uncles, Aunts, and cousins. They all are so excited that you are joining the family and oh, the things they will teach you and bless you with during your life. You will need to learn to play Bocce ball and eat cheese curds, light firecrackers and challenge the iron chef (brats or fried turkey?) You will also learn the difference between a trio and a quartet, an F-15 and an F-18, and a holler and a knob (would that be butcher or tater), and last but not least, is that a greasy, pink tip or shelly bean (great great Aunt Wanda is responsible for that lesson). Dakota will teach you snowboarding and maybe saxophone, Zach is ready to play Spiro and transformers, and Lyndsay will have you singing the strawberry shortcake song and many others before you know it. And, maybe Uncle Mike will teach you how to cross the lake on the really slick ice (NOT!) or most likely he will be your Techno guru as your parents will surely fail you in this arena. Your grandmas will keep your stomach full with the best food you have ever eaten (sorry, your Mama won't compare). Most likely, your uncle BJ will teach you a love of Mexican food and computers and Uncle Brian will show you the boogey board moves and how to plant a tree. And, your Aunts, Oh goodness, what a treat. They will love all over you and you won't forget Aunt Julie's sugar cookies and salsa and probably a preschool craft or two, Aunt Kelly's yummy brownie treats and her heart for little one's like you, Auntie Erin will teach you somersaults and most likely you will get your ability to talk from her, and Aunt Tracey will teach you about the world, travelling, and she will help Mama teach you the non-grey area things! The really great thing is that this is just your immediate family. You have a Great Grandma, Great Aunts and Uncles, and more cousins than you could ever imagine all waiting to teach you all about the world as they know it ( a little scary but priceless, none the less) God has placed you in our family, we are a special breed but you will be loved to the end of the earth and back and we will always be so thankful for His gift of you to us. So, we do celebrate your third year because this year you will become a son, a grandson, a nephew, and a cousin. Someday you will understand what this third year meant to you and we pray that you will be grateful as we are grateful that God ordained February 22nd, 2004 for a special little boy with an exciting adventure ahead to be born. Happy Birthday to you, Nicholas. Love, Mama and Papa