you see beauty in everything

One of the things that I really love about my dad is his ability to take something ordinary and make it beautiful. He does it with old wood from a barn and license plate long since abandoned making a bird house. He does it with small logs and twigs making a reindeer for Kendra's Christmas present. He has an eye for things others no longer have use for and he turns them into treasures. My brother, Mark, is his father's son. From the blue collar capability and aptitude for mechanical things that men know how to do, to the artistic eye that finds the beauty in the ashes. Mark has his father's soft heart and hard hands. He is equally at home wiring your house as he is crying with you during a tough time and I am amazed by them. They are special men. This Christmas we drew names to exchange gifts and Mark got me. Above is the present I he made me out of discarded electrical wire that he brought from Arizona and found at my parents house. It is a copper tree twisted with a power drill and it is beautiful. Thank you for a wonderful gift Mark, your are a gifted, strong, loving, and capable man just like your father.

hey brother

This past weekend the boys and I went to my parents to give Beautiful a free weekend. While we were getting ready to leave Finn tackled Henry and started pushing his head into the ground. Henry was cool with it for a bit but then it started to hurt and he got super angry. It made me so mad that Finn would try to hurt Henry like that but Henry immediately wanted to be in the room where Finn was in time out. He didn't want Finn to get in trouble. In the car on the way Finn grabbed a book of animals and started reading to Henry. He asked him what sound a cow makes and when Henry did his best moooo Finn got so excited and said "That's right Henry, good job!" and reached over and stroked his face. I was as moved by that scene as I was by the head smashing and I could see that they were totally brothers. They will have the toughest fights and the closest bond and will continue come back for more. I thought of my brother and how close we were and still are and I felt excited for these two. They are just in the beginning of their time together and there is so much in store for them. If they don't kill each other first.

seriously go look at his pictures

captured

Please go to Mark's Flickr page and see his pictures from his trip here with Kendra. The dude can take a photo.