I’ve always thought that, while a birthday is most certainly a personal celebration for the one whose birth anniversary is being celebrated, in many cases (such as mine), the mother also has a personal (and usually private) celebration of the same event.
Several years ago today, I became a mother. It was and is, without question, the most incredible, miraculously amazing blessing anyone could ever experience. It is a true picture of God’s amazing grace, that he would bless me, so undeserved, with motherhood. My two children are my constant reminder of how much God loves me. My son was my firstborn, and so it is that with his birthday each year, I celebrate the anniversary of my greatest blessing, becoming a mother.
Our son has always been a constant, and when I say constant, I mean constant, source of joy for his parents. It would be impossible to count the ways he has brought us joy.
Being a bit picture-obsessed, there are hundreds of pictures accessible on my computer. But for the sake of the reader, I’ll bring out only a few (and when I say “few,” I mean many).
Happy Birthday, Sweetest of all Sons.
![1970 Oct Mark first studio 4 months 1970 Oct Mark first studio 4 months](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eO1SHiIob3HFGAB6KAnClVxuhj4cxbis8CPDSR6Gry7G_FonX7nghdwFab0y1EewxbSGpU15WpgWCuSvrkFaPN0vtD7CVpSECtG4b5EA6tktqEph8lRQqjQ1TaHrrJzfIGD-4fk24Q/?imgmax=800)
1970 (4 months-first studio picture)
![1971-feb 12 Mark almost 8 mos still blue eyes 1971-feb 12 Mark almost 8 mos still blue eyes](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AMXTvrya7BEryKqXVJgW2gt5HW9dvGoemPaNnPIrCuSSqcSLG1kZvQWnQKOaYqNxE5JOoejpf1wfyZDhRfe975GnEckuo3sgJVLamJmyjbL07x4tqXL0scPGA1koGj6SRYu_SV42Hg/?imgmax=800)
1971 (almost 8 months—eyes still blue—later green)
![1971-Mark's 1st BD June 1971-Mark's 1st BD June](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIIBMG2z3S6LI2ZNtiujnU2GT-nEKwtN8H4Oqe7aZHtFpEQb0gxUTJm7J9SCtuB50GM7JyR1628RS2vtsc2BJ1wBsTaB82egyrN8M-MpGEwDFnkY6YEkyleS6J7d9RWN9EOQ863m8BA/?imgmax=800)
1971-First Birthday (people trying to sign him up for football—look at that body!!)
![1972-Mark on Wonder Horse 1972-Mark on Wonder Horse](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgF6j7a8DLz42-vtIxCfALDMJH7aaKBXr2VdDMUMLi9cUxJHDgRuhFpTZhn4H-JihKJM2Z4DY7ZoW_5ZZVIZ1dvZcb2c6GjMMxt5i_N0Dzq2xUh1izIgSeFXw-2f9sxzphbZSB0ThDwQ/?imgmax=800)
1972—loved that Wonder Horse (and Dad’s USMC “cover”)
![1973-Mark age 3 June 1973-Mark age 3 June](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaPgJN2S6Zksnb9SNphYtS8anBZUU0L-9qCFJx_ozZh2icsgSLwR1WjfzoUL1pdj_1bseWC-aigXB5k1Ps87oUKkjaImTizbIcjM926ttK14xOx34Gu0oatOcdUo-Dd6RTMSVHUbz4A/?imgmax=800)
1973 (age 3) (People encouraging me to let him be a model—I don’t think so!)
![1975-Jan Mark 1975-Jan Mark](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDRFuko37lixuv-2QiRxY0bI6Ksw84B3RyMg8u7jT3atuPJSI0amyHKQHMwof4wfLdQ-PALBkTUx4a98wUL0kKtRboxs_mG92Xp8DSPor1Vss1poslR2-XFOq7E1XvJCKDAEkNO8qEA/?imgmax=800)
Age 5
![1982-Mark's 12th BD 1982-Mark's 12th BD](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXkY-6hcDC_HWVQH5qi6GpLmMduh3KoLofKq06a-cCYTKwvMD9Bk3rqATuiQKbET6ET5yTZTTJVqGbBSoacaeNGEhEuU1wHvHHiR_XsAHJhEzxNAhyphenhyphenjLUgJxjwQhg5W2Q_nEqOSPCNg/?imgmax=800)
12th birthday
![1982-M French horn 1982-M French horn](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm4cfVtOzRR-CP9AQX_gQB770TNdFcn1rSFcWCWs6unFxajPmZQo2YajxU-OTBq6aaMzkYIXtX6za3aKnioZiFHSqSYUaePDSB_Y-tWGsNIKx_4QWOE4_mu7h8DbzLeNBA6W29NYXnQ/?imgmax=800)
Played French horn in band
![1982-Ready for band concert 1982-Ready for band concert](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNGtpntIPro1QphLnkrm5BWJAM_OYznIG0JK-HHYCA8c5JrBgwynDxvDBlmkF9zhupLQCYBJVuDTftXOAbcbzDHNS-a7NXJr9skqQOGbmo7wFpnFQzJrQhci1gZ2LT22bIPJzT9vPpA/?imgmax=800)
Age 12 (in high school band already)
![1983- basketball 1983- basketball](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4NjYgieDJ833MEloM8Dtn3WFsEWZDOCPIvlFTAs5QCqF3MxoOpghWFSsPDAbBMxKsLgvPkfDHuwPR33DoshyphenhyphennvgdgazpszvDNMOugzEhr6dDSW_RHjwmhX-0SehMTRgjadRlIGSTwA/?imgmax=800)
Age 13
![1984 Licking Comm Theat musical singing Anything You Can Do 1984 Licking Comm Theat musical singing Anything You Can Do](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzSkwpq2z7uWNwExyw6ZIAsYgRuq3xLpolZnahRwSgNI5lxmfi_9tgaeUTskT9RH_UMy663huyLKd3_8kmZChH_YYFn6MvbMLRqAvsdqXd0UAxtKoA57gUy2GySO1H40wjRkZ24-cMQ/?imgmax=800)
Age 14, with sister, as they were together in several stage productions (this one, singing “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” from “Annie Get Your Gun”)
![1984-First Place Science Fair 1984-First Place Science Fair](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaI9KHnucZ0ZFNQX2oC2fYUpvatOQE_T0fqoMvNHHIfABilGL_4Q7Gy27FNicwBCL9J6VYmsNduHlGnTlnN7fqxqGn5AFn7JmdIptz0R0-KaggU_c6G776SmXARFU76UO1MDwl5d4vDg/?imgmax=800)
Freshman Science Fair, First Place
![1986 Mark's 16th bd in Argentina-BD Arg style 1986 Mark's 16th bd in Argentina-BD Arg style](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KKUiIFNh8oS6Olx8mnwMRyQdJgP-DablEj2vLSJvEd6umlMPZASCf0kkIO4g3MQZGlnnx8vdiYHqbU4I8V5ugNHZJNZETDve8HjJoVb1S4eKcwLKbMDFZMArADDcIjL41JALeI3tew/?imgmax=800)
Celebrating 16th birthday Argentine Style while visiting family in Argentina.
![1986-a very proud moment for Mark 1986-a very proud moment for Mark](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacgrmgBPdMBWQ-fpYTAo-wwtZvITgmkW1RfOVlLLAEdFrlfkooRE_rVDEAFYBvT_zlU9nsw5UMp5SKdXYCAvK9OSCvu7O4K7iQSHBr9uvP2wJqEMxNDd1VJjmCieBTOebdxYfRHcFJw/?imgmax=800)
Christmas after turning 16, driving his Mustang for sister (Miss Merrie Christmas) in Christmas Parade—a proud brother moment.
![1987 Prom 1987 Prom](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVsOqwpke7OXiIUqSHv_0GYrwkrfsn2nfSdecKUp92ME3mVM4hvCeGaU07t496s4xFr4pcAuFAjBXM1qrpTVj0YQUnYvSO1l2rBSkd8aAEL3nWLOutUXLjBZbLSMDkZWXC7jnfyyvAA/?imgmax=800)
Junior Prom (picture with sister)
![1988-Performing Great American Cheese 1988-Performing Great American Cheese](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yFKwLmer5fCWVCLNz_lTDiZTo_DqeuErW3DIlqhtnYxsU9Hyti-_JiWCh3bU3gOYuTKuFlycIv9H5V7smzotJZ-igb4bV-B8jjpUSUbCoiLAdL4M67ItEMRS13JNlPlFA8UIZT8Erg/?imgmax=800)
Performing First-Place Humorous Duet (many, many trips with the Speech Team and National Forensics League)
![1988-Pic taken for newspaper-M on tennis team 1988-Pic taken for newspaper-M on tennis team](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistLz7B01NcCIEC5l6kcBKZt1sYQBYSieZuIN-NVOm5zefwsGGxAXWDtqN_YU_uKPBSpB9qujd2jEK5wtQ3BmVkCrhyjumY8njU70udeHBfVULF_QiQuFbhPmXmlT9E7Df3maZfoTJ5w/?imgmax=800)
High School Tennis Team Junior and Senior Years (picture taken for local newspaper)
![1987-040 Mark Senior Pic 1987-040 Mark Senior Pic](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5E40Bs5RiCC0W2AQvKf2VsV3nrGA6RVw4L5uT2iORm__6jiY5wKH6DC6iDDQaSaKos7lsYkCGE7d4ee9MDsYXmDy4nl99nLaEsY7rI7Sx8mY2lE50uhqkt0MMIMUX0FtfRzlekwH8Q/?imgmax=800)
Senior Pictures
![1987-Mark Senior Pic 1987-Mark Senior Pic](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYM96LgpET6yVRdhyphenhyphenrYJtmKMoslgCoQfvRzgCt5alCxl-Q8yLo74eBBhidAvUv7N2NZ66mnMup7cY20Xi0qcXkaqPYhQL6vJz7NhQAPTAy1IZAj4PifHnYUUXnQBZwbdOleLeu-AYLA/?imgmax=800)
![1988-Mark Valedictorian HS May 1988-Mark Valedictorian HS May](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimy3rdQJsMR8mX-YWg3nPLZH-6b-LPYFmIE7Zz-rRpaHNBFdg_RyHbTWue1t3_SvUoDqNMc9pNMAgZwVbB6lkMcCZvKIjMhT9-LNFuTE5s90lJnSNcr8USjTBONmiqYFhdch__wK3GuQ/?imgmax=800)
1988 High School Valedictorian
![1988-033 Mark's 18th bd 1988-033 Mark's 18th bd](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0d5zHON5YCaXcGR2nlxsMr7AbIeon5SlmsQYy5rT8T4Qhd0dv7ZWX-l2jYWn7D2E8TvUMKDbhcnUC4MRp8U22Y3gGuUpKECNzBM9TOU-M8nxTF3OlZwmOtKXD2eNVXEq4Fqsc4dqtQ/?imgmax=800)
18th birthday
![1988-Mark in dorm room 316 Landon Hall SBU Bolivar 1988-Mark in dorm room 316 Landon Hall SBU Bolivar](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjilgXxIA_bBEvIoMR7smwJl7RJXTmCncn0uNqAsX-lqvnXXnxu1pb7Fnj7tAOY8UE53-W6Vm2ZUNS2wCyI_nvie_-BHE9qisPY-PfJGB-2BvGqVhKv-AmquAfikESdxcer3G3jKnWL2g/?imgmax=800)
Off to college—dorm room
![1989-big bass lots of fishing summer of 89 1989-big bass lots of fishing summer of 89](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPOQ8OQZXOorAdg-GWPqdBWjs2pCRspMD1jho_chTbLkcouKCbCn8tHvylWZEdiS5XpKBudxPvyrv-50H-bPSut0Je-QXYrmOC5eIl68V3GNOgLkfkwoSPsTeg5iTwP9Qw9D3VgevZA/?imgmax=800)
Loved to fish during summers
![1989-Mark returns to SBU-sophomore 1989-Mark returns to SBU-sophomore](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vSNblEtF6JTCua5gDEI7XpKfRuQOITeXxB6m47Hiq7n7pbsHvCv3uQCpBhAhPaF1L2bPzLDhf5IW91mdNXSsIy9QU944Gr54OP47WBbq_rObOfgs5d59qxoJuPYzC-jTGVu1kN1RPg/?imgmax=800)
1989 Back to College
![1990-4-21 Bicycle Club for dinner Spgfd 1990-4-21 Bicycle Club for dinner Spgfd](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfsW9mo8FlWhp-1i51jVurx2kGzXivOFqeIJ83g0IklixbfINLcvbIKnlV06tzXYIKZN3Io7VRTyabJBJQJF8DJVeMP91P-IYLSpcUMEVGm4TK8R0j_ZKFA12bPWNI3HtxtU9iN_Khg/?imgmax=800)
1990-Met the Love of his life, Kristy
![1991-Scanned in 2014-001 1991-Scanned in 2014-001](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtGIESaBJqFonOc_psRk469-lYnEbEsw1VBDqRcQdzhnliD7Ei5XbZFn5WCMnFIXaVZNHSeWXtVEohG1wZMhl8n-IAXJy5lv_LxaP5-IBkV85Upt9A0YEiELdHTJpBrBL5asj1NWzEA/?imgmax=800)
1991-Married the Love of his life
![1992 May Mark's college grad 1992 May Mark's college grad](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl3Dm-OHRsMk6mxrjAlA8on1yM9-2D2K9CC-F3YEHt6ua0Man9k3X6xu8ujZbAUAHr4qBhqDTP__Zv_4IplSi9WZnACvEWbqVG9FSEhwL7Jv9kGml1xOSCfALY4ZhayUGFgvVFIsv1g/?imgmax=800)
1992-College Graduation (with Honors)- (three years later, Master’s Degree from Seminary)
![1993-Tory's birth 1993-Tory's birth](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcDUbhBN5OMsetU2m6jsJCFLaugUaSMqhGtyjAnXQNmJ7Is5kKl8_ozrx8hw6ZYgwT0ERp9fFFISx44KxfbKiVUhoLIXxj9egsfs6PVfCM5X9iLgZSCBxXv3kTaL6q0btuDd9yyZb3w/?imgmax=800)
1993-Birth of his firstborn, Tory
![1995-Conner's birth 1995-Conner's birth](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhotLWUDP25YnJD5M_yNdJE0fwgI2nag1iykOn-6jhvf4RqYKtA8EAlGCNnRTBx9l8FXlEKFFtb66nmutivQHFJGmNjqUUx43ZeI-MyvQx8Oxl3TLYdvixskGmL_9_pZkZkC9nWCUiw/?imgmax=800)
1995-Birth of his son, Conner
![2012-Tory's HS grad 2012-Tory's HS grad](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeoR18w1KrCh1Zrrrxh7PuHfimUHnrLD9j7VCWDZwphzCTtcHZDGkeINbwncTjraN7IUL7HCGSUAFlegmvNU2QgR2wDPrDbMsfJi7vJ2zfzapViPnKFPyQ5y1eA3DFsq54MbNyZxQ4g/?imgmax=800)
2012-High School Graduation, Tory
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJifuFsqUMQEo-4ZVkZ4D-AmczyeiBmPx-FbiUQbrIpKlOBPk_G-LdXGZqQXNFrmNz4XeicXnRyzOrWIh8dxvNrT42f8o3BdVwQ41d_SqhBHZ8T-Sp35CPg8J_jJlEQtiT6Brz22JRQw/?imgmax=800)
2014-High School Graduation, Conner
Did I mention how thankful I am that God chose to bless me immeasurably with a wonderful family! Thank you, Lord!