"The Most Important Job on Earth"

Family life is very important to me. I am passionate about teaching my children the difference between right and wrong, the virtues of good versus evil. To be charitable, caring, and unselfish.It is the one thing that a person can do that will directly affect the world long after they're gone. I have been blessed that God has chosen me as a vessel to wield some influence over these young lives.

This is the one thing that I feel so strongly about, that if I had to choose between all the riches in the world, and the love of my children, there would be no contest! We as parents must understand that what we do with them today will affect untold  generations in the future. My mission as a parent is to instill a sense of purpose, a degree of charity, integrity and strength in the face of adversity, the gift of giving something back to your community, and the caring of those around you.

I thought about putting my kid's pics online. I've hesitated a great deal, concerned about all the things you hear about with all the crazies prowling the internet. I then came to realize that the best way to protect them is to educate them! They are fully aware of the dangers as far as the internet goes. Keeping them in the dark poses more danger than protection, as far as I'm concerned. Having said that, I decided to share with you my pride and joy...... my children.

This is my oldest daughter, Ty. There is not too much I can say about Ty, because I just discovered she was my daughter about a year ago. It's a long story, but the bottom line is she's mine (as I've known in my heart all along), and I love her! She just turned 18, and has graduated from high school this year. As you can see, she's inherited the family good looks (although I must admit, she looks a LOT like her mother!), and has quite a sense of humor. She's seriously considering culinary school (that would make papa proud), but regardless of what she chooses, I'll be proud of her.

This is my next stunner....... Kori. It's so incredible to me how she has matured over the last 2 years. She is so focused on where she wants to go and what she wants to be professionally. This is truly a remarkable trait in that of a 17 year old. An extremely talented child (young lady), I couldn't ask for a better "older sister" to her siblings. She is so nurturing, is amazes me! All of this, and she's simply stunning as well. At a statuesque 5'9 1/2"(and still growing), she has given me fits! The boys wont stop gawking at her whenever I take her

shopping.... and she handles the attention well. As an aspiring attorney, I think her intellect will serve her well

This is my third daughter, Kortney. At 13, she has such a wild sense of humor! It scares me sometimes! She is so comical! A very talented student and athlete, she loves competition (she's a cheerleader, and she's already won a dance competition!). She always seems to see the bright side of things regardless of the situation, and is very giving to those around her. A budding vocalist, she is a member of the church choir, and sings quite well.  This is one of my aspiring doctors (she hasn't decided on a discipline just yet), so I'm trying to prepare for medical school!

This is my fourth daughter, Ajaya (pronounced "Ah-zhi-ah"). This is my 'lil punkin!! Her mom has blessed me with the gift (and responsibility) of helping raise her since she was 18 months (she's 13 now). An absolute joy to be with, she is as silly as her dad (ME!!), and as giving as can be. She's inherited her mothers gift of song (her mother has toured with Miki Howard, and sang with Nancy Wilson and Will Downing, to name a few), and has been writing her own material. How many 13 year olds out there can say that?!?!

This is my youngest daughter, Shaie (pronounced "Shay-ah"). Boy, what a difference a year makes! As a little girl, she was very stand-offish, always under her daddy, but now... boy, has she blossomed! She is another gifted student, and has always excelled in her classes. She's already taken  classes in both Japanese and Spanish! At 5'9" (she's only 13!), she is a burgeoning track star, and she loves to run in the sprinting events. Since she was 6, she's wanted to be a Pediatrician, and has already decided she wants to attend Harvard (ouch!)

This is my son, Kerry. Mr Personality. Mr Excitement. Ah, what I would give to have half as much energy as this little dynamo! As my own personal Tasmanian Devil, I went from forcing him to eat, to forcing him out of the kitchen! He is the one child who TRULY appreciates that his father is an accomplished cook! Very athletic himself, he once scored 16 points in a basketball game for 9-year-olds (he was 7 at the time!), and will soon be in another league (baseball, football, or both!) Conversely, he is extremely caring... always concerned about other people (he's always picked flowers on his way to school for his

teacher), and their feelings. With five older sisters, I sometimes feel sorry for him... they lock him out when they're doing their "girl stuff. But I wonder who they'll run to for help when he gets a little older?

So there you have it...... my family. As the patriarch, it is my responsiblity to make sure that they grow up to be productive, caring, law abiding citizens. I take this very seriously. We as parents must stop and ask ourselves "what are we teaching our children?" The bottom line is to do what is right, and not what is popular. Teach them about God, his mercy and compassion for us. Understand that although you may not have everything you want, there are those who have less. Much less. I always tell them "there but by the grace of God go I". And that our skin tones, ethnic backrounds and beliefs may be different, we are all God's children and are thus related. I want them to carry this with them, to teach their children and grandchildren for generations to come.

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