HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOCHIE

It truly seems that yesterday I was a 22 year old Relief Society President attending an early morning Ward Council Meeting when I went in to labor 3 weeks early. Jeffrey was ready to join our family! I left my meeting, called Ron, and paced round and round the empty chapel hoping the labor would stop. When Ron arrived, there was not time to go home and pack for the hospital. We went directly to Bethesda Memorial in Boynton Beach.

What a blessing he arrived early, the umbilical cord was wrapped tightly around his leg several times. Three more weeks in utero would have cut the circulation off completely and he would have not had that leg. For about 3 days after birth, there was still a dent in his leg where the cord had been.

Watching Jeffrey's zest and passion for life, I know he was truly blessed to have 2 functioning legs.

I still have all of his Legos- and I mean ALL--thousands and thousands, color coded and sorted. I also have his Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with the Original Pizza Thrower. The TMNT were just as obnoxious then as the re-make! This is unusual because I am not a saver at all. He is the only grown child who I have some of his toys still.

In Kindergarten, I was met at the classroom door by his teacher, Meb Weaver, she handed me the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Issue featuring Cristy Brinkley and suggested that this should not come to school with Jeffrey again. He told the class she was coming to our house for dinner. Every day he would ask me if I called her and when is she coming for dinner. I may be able to move and shake, but for some reason, I just could not get Cristy Brinkley's phone number... Mmmm

I am thankful to be Jeffrey's mother. All his passion, good works, and positive decisions are a blessing to me.

Happy Birthday #24!!!! I love you!