Nick's birthday AND anniversary ...

It's bad enough that Nick's birthday is one week before Christmas and so blends in each and every year to that great and wonderful holiday, and is always overshadowed by it. There is really nothing a person can can do about the date of their birth! I am sensitive about Nick's birthday being so close to Christmas and used to try to make it a distinct and special day for him. But when he and Rachel CHOSE to get married on the 18th of December ... well ... keeping his birthday separate from their anniversary is sometimes difficult!

Nick at Joe's Crab Shack (San Antonio)
October 2008

Once Nick and Rachel had set the date for their wedding, Nick joked that at least he wouldn't forget when it was he got married! So today is Nick's 28th birthday as well as he and Rachel's 4th wedding anniversary. Congratulations you guys. I looked back through all of the pictures we took during our fall trip to Texas and we didn't snap one single shot of Nick and Rachel together, without either Nia and Nathan in the picture as well ... and actually, most of our fall pictures were of Nathan and Nia (grandparents can be so obnoxious). Most of the following pictures of them were taken from our spring trip.

Nice family shot at a park in Houston

Aren't these hats hilarious?
(Old Town Spring, TX)

Riding the train at the Oil Ranch (Houston)

Watching Andrew try to lasso a cow at
The Oil Ranch

This plaque hangs on the dining room wall
of their apartment in San Antonio ...

These have been four pretty momentous years for this young couple. They have moved no less than four times and have added three beautiful children (and I've completely lost track of the number of dogs and cats) to their family. Perhaps they should take a year off from moving and babies and just rest up a bit! :) I must say, however, that visiting them at each new location has been very fun and sometimes quite an adventure for us. Grandpa Jones and I wish them all the best for this year of 2009 ... Happy birthday, Nicolas and Happy Anniversary with love to you both, Nick and Rachel!