HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB!

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There's something about Jacob. There always has been.
Sweet and sensitive, soulful and spiritual...he came to us with a knowing...that has grown deeper with each passing year.

Jacob is special...anointed with a keen, optimistic wisdom-that defies his age. It doesn't matter what we talk about, how hopeless the situation seems...or how challenging his life has been, Jake always sees through the dark, past the fog, into the light of heavenly wisdom that has been his gift...and our treasure.

I can still see him at age four, showing off his red, high top sneakers...Without uttering a word he would march into a room of people...thrust his foot forward, swing out his hand...and point to his foot...until everyone noticed...Or the morning he ran downstairs, suddenly stopping and exclaiming, "I Love this rug-is it new?" Not your average four year old!

But I am most enthralled by his carefully, cultivated inspiration...words of wonder about life and Love and God and the afterlife...There is not a day that goes by, when he doesn't help me to see the hope in the seemingly hopeless and the gratitude in the most grating circumstances.

July 8, 1997, Jacob brightened the world with his earthly presence...deciding to come on the day the scripture reading at morning Mass described Jacob wrestling with the angel...and then being released. I knew then that God had released a ray of light into our lives...that we had been especially blessed...And I know now-deep within my soul-that one day-the world will get to know this special child of God-who has brought more happiness to his four brothers and me then he will ever know!

The other good news is-now that he's 12...he's old enough to babysit...Can you believe it?! Four down and one to go!

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