My son, Brent, is celebrating his 24th birthday today, so my "What I Know Wednesday" is all about him. He is such an amazing son and I love him so much. It has been a real blessing for me to be his mother. i've written a great deal about him before and the struggles that he had at birth and as a child. He has overcome some great obstacles. So
WHAT DO I KNOW--I know that we can always have help and guidance in our role as Mothers. As we raised Brent, I could feel the hand of the Lord guiding us in all that we did--especially in each of our moves. Our first move to Southern California was necessary for him to enter a school where he would learn so much and have a great speech therapist. Our move to Charlotte is where we found a wonderful Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist. Then our move to Reno and then Auburn gave us an opportunity to be near family--which is something very important to Brent. He loves family so much and those years helped him a great deal. Coming to Winnipeg was scary at first, but he found great help in school and some wonderful friends. It was so obvious to me that we were being guided in so much of what we did, and as I watch Brent today, I know the Lord was mindful of all of us.
Brent has a great love for movies and has a blog where he does reviews. We can always count on him to tell us what we should or shouldn't see. I have to remember that he's a lot like his mom--he goes to be entertained so if he enjoyed the movie he recommends it. Go by
his blog and wish him a happy birthday.
He's very excited about starting BYU in a week.
In honor of him, I want to post 24 of my favorite Brent pictures.
Blessing Day--Brent had a rough start and after being released from the hospital we had to take him back. So he was not blessed until he was a few weeks old.
I love this pic of Heidi and Brent wearing the outfits I made for them for a family reunion in 1986
In 1988 we gathered at a friends to have a family picture taken--I love this pic of Chris and Brent.
Thanksgiving in Reno 1988.
With his dad in the park in So. California--we lived there 1987-88
Stephen and Daphne came down with Jason for Heidi's birthday in 1988. This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of them. They have a great relationship--I know they would love to see each other more often because they have a great time whenever they are together.
We lived in Charlotte, NC, from 1989-1990. At the time they were home to the Hornets. One afternoon Brent got bit by a HUGE horsefly--it drew blood. Here he's explaining to dad what happened (using the Hornet as a prop ; )
Helping his dad clean up after Hurricane Hugo--September 1989
While living in Charlotte, we took a trip to Dollywood--what a fun place to visit.
When we lived in Toronto, quite often we would go to Niagara Falls. When Neal was visiting (and I was in the hospital during my pregnancy), Allan took Neal and the kids to Niagara Falls. This is one of my favorite shots. Brent loves Neal so much and calls him all the time. He loves hanging out with him.
Right after Kyle was born we took a trip to Western Canada. Here's Heidi and Brent at Lake Louse. (It was a GREAT trip) Heidi and Brent have had a great time being in Utah together. Heidi has been a great big sister to Brent. When he was young, she always watched over him and took such great care of him. It was so sweet when I talked to her the other day and she mentioned she was nervous about her first day of school and called up Brent to give her a blessing.
Over Spring Break in 1994 we took a trip that took us to Yellowstone.
Just a few months before we moved to Winnipeg.
When we first moved to Winnipeg, we were not sure how long we'd be here, so we had Brent do the Lone Scout program, as well as the Canadian Scouting program. Here he is receiving his Arrow of Light. When we realized he would be able to earn his Chief Scout Award, we decided he didn't need to do both--I'm sure he was RELIEVED.
Grade 6 picture
With his nephew, Jason, August 2003.
Finding his mission call in the mailbox
This is a memory that is burned in my heart forever. When we took Brent to the MTC it was an amazing experience. When it was time for him to go he hugged us and suddenly he was gone. I got outside just as they were getting ready to go on the bus and yelled "Brent, look over here" He did the 'see you in two' sign and was gone. I get teary eyed just thinking about. He was so excited and so ready. He had a great mission.
With his first companion. It was so fun when we were waiting for Brent at the airport when he returned, this Elder was waiting for his connection to Oregon--and I recognized him from his pictures so went up and visited.
At the airport with his grandma when he came home from Arizona.
With his nephew, Drew, in Hawaii June 2008
Parasailing with Heidi in Hawaii.
Last April he graduated from LDS Business College. We celebrated at PF Changs and the B's (his former Mission President and wife) came down to celebrate along with Elder P (a former companion)
With Chris, Heidi and Kyle at Amanda's wedding last month.
Happy Birthday Bud--I love you.
Sidenote: Today is moving-in day for Kyle. We ran a ton of errands on Monday and spent time on campus--and look where we found Kyle.
I've read all about it and it was so fun to finally see it. It is so cute. 
(And they sent us home with some barbeque, salads, beans and some pecan pie--CAN YOU SAY DELICIOUS!!!!) Any of you who live in the area--it is so worth the drive. I have never been to that area--it is so beautiful. I loved meeting Sheri and Corrine. 
They are just adorable. We had a chance to visit for a little over an hour. It was wonderful. When we started visiting, it was so comfortable. That's what I love about meeting blogging friends--you already "know" each other so you just start talking like you were visiting the other day--because really you did visit on each other's blogs. It was fun meeting their husbands and children, too.
