My loves.

This picture is perfect. I didn’t realise how perfect til I was looking at it to place in the blog. I love these two kids so much. Tony (in black) and Jonathan. They are almost opposites and yet, they are so similar. Tony came home in 2014 for his dad’s 50th birthday as a surprise. The two planned it together! The boys do a lot more together now then when they were kids.

This card game is so typical how they interact with each other. Jon is thinking about each move and how it might interact with the other moves he might make. Tony, he is biding his time to put cards out to crush Jon. There is ammo on the table, both boys enjoy shooting sports. There are chips ahoy on the table, their dad LOVES those cookies! Bug dope and oil for something in the background (they hike often when Tony comes home). The place is untidy, I had been home from Alaska for less than a week. It is comfort.

Tony and Jon are a joy to talk to on the phone. They often call me, Tony more than Jonathan. Tony and I can spend hours chatting about books, movies/characters/ideas/themes, politics, and assorted other things. Jon and I discuss super random stuff for ages and ages. About the only thing that totally drives Tony nuts when we talk is one itty bitt thing. For some reason (and he has gotten used to it again) he gets REALLY upset when I call him snookums or Snicklefritz. Go, figure!!! Jon doesn’t get quite as annoyed with Little Bear. He just sighs. At almost 28 and barely 23, these two boys are more than wonderful. (ok, most of the time!) I’m incredibly blessed to have them in my life and am often startled to know I helped to create them! Especially, when I see Jon driving the local firetruck or hear about Tony conducting training for security personnel.