Someone Was 26 today!

We are very lucky. I remember that when Mike and I married, my family knew absolutely NOTHING about he or his family except the little I told them. I knew very little myself, only that I was deeply in love!

Our two in-laws have been people that we have, to some extent, seen grow up. Casey is no exception. I suppose the first I knew of him he must have been about 11. His family moved into the area where Papa Johnny was pastoring and they were very supportive of him in a time when he really needed the support.

Casey was an only child which, of course, made him spoiled! (That's what my mother told me years ago...."Never marry an only child because they are spoiled!" This was spoken because her father had been an only child and had displayed a lot of selfishness as she and her 7 siblings were growing up. She was sure Mike was spoiled too.)

Back to the subject at hand! When Maleah and Shawn and Ryan would go to the country to stay with Grandma and Papa in the summers, they would usually get together with Casey.

We all remember the stories of the soda that he sprayed all over the kitchen! (Don't worry, Cas! We all know that some people tend to exaggerate!) There was also the story about how Casey tempted Shawn to swim when Grandma did NOT want him near the pool....and the way she found out about it. And then the one about how Papa had to make him go back to bed in the morning because he was up early and wouldn't leave the kids alone. I think I even heard that he went and got in bed with Maleah and Aimee (this was when they were very young!) one morning.

Then the time for college came and Casey came to Missouri Baptist and he and Shawn became suitemates and eventually roomates. (Yes, Cas! I will never forget the apartment computer screen saver, that you both accused the other roomate of putting on to be funny!!! NOT WHAT A MOTHER WANTS TO SEE!!! And then there were the two apartments that I helped clean up at the end of the school year....can I forget the smell of soured pizza....yes,yes, yes, I know it was Shawn!!!)

I think you can tell by reading this that there weren't many things we heard about Casey that endeared him to us. Frankly, we were just a little scared about the pending marriage.

I have to say that he has proven us wrong. He and Maleah have had a good marriage so far and I am very pleased at how he treats her. I wish them many years of happiness together. AND Casey, happy birthday!!! Thanks for being such a good husband, brother-in-law and son-in-law.