Our Amazing David

Sorry guys--I'm not too great at importing pictures yet!

These are pictures of our wonderful firstborn son David and his adorable wife Lori. I could write a blog just about Lori (in fact, I will--but it's not her birthday!). She has been a perfect wife for Dave and a wonderful mother. But David, whose birthday comes up on April 11, is the man of the month. What can I tell you about David? Well, for starters, he is VERY funny. I absolutely love his sense of humor. That seems to have been tempered somewhat as he and Lori have had more (5 now) children. But he is hilarious when he gets going. And he loves to find the humor in situations and laugh about them with everyone. He is also very intelligent and creative. I love his integrity and his down-to-earth wisdom. He puts his whole self into projects and uses his creativity in ways that bless his family.

When David was little, he drew all the time. I still have some of the incredibly detailed pictures he drew. One picture of a giant and a castle that he drew in 2nd or 3rd grade was featured in a magazine. He used to always win coloring contests, too. As a junior high student he won a $1000 scholarship in a drawing contest.

Over the past couple of years, David has been very involved in soccer, coaching Joseph's (his oldest son) team. He's been dedicated to the boys and really treats them fairly. Last fall I got to go up to Logan and watch the team play and I was struck with how much he supported each boy, sending each one in to play and praising them individually for doing a good job. Even when the boys messed up, Dave just quietly told them they were doing fine and to keep focused. That, I guess, pretty much expresses how he treats everyone. He's a wonderful man!

I love watching Dave and Lori swing dance. They are incredibly good, and they look so cute together. They have a natural rhythm and they know each other's moves so well that they intuitively put together great routines, seemingly without effort. I suspect when their kids grow up they will all have natural dancing ability, because Dave and Lori have danced while expecting each of the kids.

It's amazing to think that our oldest son is old enough to be a father of five children, but what an intense pleasure it is to see how beautifully he does his job as husband and father. I know, Dave--when you read this, you'll shake your head and think your mom is just being your mom and praising you, but it shows in your wife and children and the wonderful feeling that exists in your home. I'm so grateful that God blessed Stan and me with David Stanley Gardner, our beloved oldest son! Happy birthday Dave!