Happy Birthday, James!

Today is my brother James’ birthday! I wish I could find a picture where he's just being "himself". James has a library of funny faces and expressions and manages to ruin at least one group shot with his...face. Think Jim Carey kind of funny. Somehow those pictures become our favorites, as they always bring a smile, a laugh, and a, “he’s so weird.”

James saved my life once when we were on a family campout and a bear started sniffing around our tent. Our Dad was sleeping so soundly he was snoring, but James and I both heard it shuffling around and groaning. I squeaked, “Dad?” James said, “Just…chill.” I chilled. I think I may have wet my pants, too. I don’t think we were much more than 10 or 12. The bear eventually left and we stared at the tent ceiling for the rest of the night, afraid to move a muscle.

James has always been a pretty neat kid. He liked his socks pulled up (the way they should be), his shirts buttoned and his shoes always tied in a double-knot. Oh, he goes by “James” not “Jim” or “Jimmy”. JAMES. Isn’t he just the cutest kid?

Mom says he used to hate the feeling of the sock seam touching his toes, so he would turn his socks inside-out. He’s also pretty chatty. He used to go out and talk my dad’s ear off while he was working in the garden (when he was about the age in the picture above). My dad would come in wide-eyed and sigh, “does he ever stop asking questions?” Now he’s all grown up and married to an awesome girl named Heather. He graduated this past May from George Mason. We were all very proud of him. He works for the FTC and they live in VA. Happy birthday, James!