Favorite Family Foto Friday

Welcome back to another Favorite Family Foto Friday! This lovely meme is hosted each week by Deborah over at Pictures, Pots, Pens. Be sure to stop over at her place to find Mr. Linky and visit all who are displaying their Favorite Family Foto for this week!

Katie with Jared, Jacob and Caleb

My offering this week is this photo of my only niece, Katie, with her younger brothers Jared, Jacob and Caleb. This photo was taken on Katie's Wedding Day, June 10, 2000. She was so excited and so happy, as brides tend to be on their wedding day!

Jared was broken hearted and did nothing but cry the entire day! If you look closely at the picture you'll see that both he and Caleb have really red eyes from all the crying and the ceremony hasn't even started yet!

On this day, Katie was 19, Jared had just turned 18, Jacob was 14 and little Caleb was 9. Katie and Caleb had been so close since the time of his birth. Because they lived in a small house, Caleb had shared a room with Katie. At night, before settling in to sleep, Caleb would turn toward Katie's side of the room and ask "Katie, which way are you going to turn your head tonight?" Katie would always answer "Toward you baby; I'm going to turn my head toward you." This comforted Caleb and he would settle into a peaceful night's sleep.

Katie's wedding was bittersweet for me. Terry had been in an horrific car accident on April 13 and was still in the hopsital and could not come. I made the trip out for the wedding, but cried such sad tears because I had left Terry weeping in his hospital bed because he wasn't going to be there to see his 'Blond Bombshell' get married. His heart was broken right along with his crushed pelvis!

Katie is now, well you can figure it up, I won't be saying that out loud! Katie might read this!!!! At any rate, she now has two beautiful children of her own, whom she treasures. Jared now has a beautiful little daughter and loves her like there'll be no tomorrow! Jake is still single and no children, but his niece's and nephew think Uncle Jake is some kinda fantastic! Caleb graduates from High School this month. Uncle Caleb is the 'go to' guy around home! Need something, want something? Ask Uncle Caleb!!!

These kids are, and have been, so much of the joy in my life. Their Uncle Terry loved them beyond words. Katie was always her Uncle Terry's 'Blond Bombshell'. The last time he saw her before he went home to be with Jesus was just after Christmas of 2008. He was so happy to see her and her hubby and the kiddos. He hugged her tightly and said "I love you, Blond Bombshell".

Yep, Uncle Terry loved these kids; and these kids loved Uncle Terry!