Today is Austin's 12th birthday!



How did he grow up sooo fast? I can't believe he's 12. We celebrated his birthday while his Aun Oui was in town because their birthdays are just a day apart. When we lived in OK City, they celebrated together every year. It was nice to be able to do it again this year. Thanks Aun Oui!



In honor of his birthday, I'm posting a poem I wrote for him a little while back.

Austin Dabney is our first child of five,
when he plays with his siblings, the room comes alive.
He has three brothers and a little sis too.
When his cousins come over, there's no tellin' what they'll do.
He leads them in sword fights and battles galore
as they run with great courage and pound on the floor.
He takes time out for Sugar, his sandy-brown pup.
He trains her to sit and not to jump up.
He likes to eat spicy chips that he and dad share
while he sits in his lap in dad's big, comfy chair.
When he gets hurt, he jumps, wails and screams.
Nothing can be done to help, so it seems.
He tries to calm down, puts his hands on his hips,
says a short, little prayer and then gets a grip.
He loves to watch NASCAR as those stock cars soar.
It's not dull to him. His eyes are pinned on 24.
We have tried to teach that Mark Martin is best,
but he has chosen Jeff Gordon and grouped Martin with the rest.
He awaits March Madness as if it were some holiday.
Then he manages our brackets in his own unique way.
He's so excited to see his favorite teams win,
he's glued to the set from beginning to end.
He's a fan of all sports, but basketball's his game.
He's a star on the court and destined for fame.
All-in-all, our Austin, he's just tons of fun,
but the best thing about him. . .he belongs to the Son.

Happy Birthday Austin. I love you.