Kids and Pictures

Oh yes, I was *finally* able to make David sit down long enough to let me grab a picture of him. Don't get me wrong, he's fifteen and sits a lot, but he is also camera shy these days. So while the younger two posed for me in the fall, David got around to it yesterday. I chose the best of them and these are their "school year" pictures.



David is 15, in 9th grade and loves to read, read and occasionally fits in some video games and television. He is taking Hebrew this year, being tutored by a pastor from our former church who is also a friend of the family and is in a "class" of 3 others. He wanted to do it because it was a challenge, a rare language not everyone else is taking and thought it would help him study the Bible better. Go figure, he is a kid who has his life together better than we did at his age. He is very intelligent, is studying all his courses above his grade level with the exception of math, which he is at grade level with Algebra I. Right now he thinks he'd like to either be an engineer or architect when he grows up, which is really going to happen way too soon.



Zach is a man on a mission - all the time and never stopping. He is only 12 years old this year, but has always possessed the Midas touch when it comes to any physical activity. Whether it be skiing, wave boarding, baseball, football, or just video games., he excels at all. He is repeating the sixth grade this year more due to the fact he'd rather be out doing something than studying. He simply didn't finish his school work by the end of the year. (Yes, kids, it is possible to fail a grade even when you're home-schooled). Regardless of his past failure, he is still a kid with a lot of spunk. It didn't deter his hyperactivity or need to win, but instead his failure seems to have made him realize life isn't all a bed of rose petals waiting to fall from the sky at his victory celebrations. He is making sure to do his work in addition to his play these days, so if nothing else, this was a quality learning experience. So far, his ambitions in life are joining a ski racing team and meeting all the cute girls on the mountain he can. Guess who he gets that from?



Alex is, simply put, the politician of the family. While he is the best brown-noser I've ever met, he has the charming smile and personality to pull it off. He just turned 11 in October and loves the idea he is catching up to Zach in grades and surpassing him in height. Alex is in the fifth grade and is starting to come into his own. He has a big heart, too big at times and so it is easily broken. I suppose it could be said he is the heart of the family though, so while he will say whatever he thinks you want to hear, he also likely means it. Alex's ambitions include joining youth group as soon as possible, completing two years of school in one and getting as much time in front of video games as possible. With great ambition comes a great need for Halo, I guess.