Adam and the Wonderful, Beautiful, So Good, Very Pretty Header

A couple days ago the very kind J. Kaye gave me a blog award and I've been meaning to thank her ever since. It was the:

I'm really tickled! But I really can't take any credit for it, being no kind of artist at all. And then it occurred to me that today is actually the artist's birthday (kind of a big one, too), and since many people have commented on my lovely header I thought this would be a nice time to highlight its creator--my brother-in-law Adam.

I don't talk about my personal life very much here on the blog, but I'm an only child. And, as fate would have it, when I got married I married the oldest of five. At first that many siblings made me nervous, but it didn't take long before I fell in love with them hook, line, and sinker. Five lovelier siblings you could hardly hope to find. Three boys and two girls. Together they run the spectrum of talent and personality. There's an audiophile, an actor, a writer, an artist, a hairdresser/cook extraordinaire, a father, two mothers, three uncles, two aunts. And they graciously let me join them and taught me so much of what I know about family and support, companionship and laughter.

Adam is the artist, as you might have guessed. He gets it from his mother. And ever since I first met him I've watched with admiration as he sketched and painted and drew and created. I think all non-artists find something of wonder and awe in the hands of those who are. Here are some of my favorites of his:

Isn't he talented? That top one some of you might recognize as Adam Warlock. The middle one is a sketch of me and his brother that I love because it looks so much like us. The bottom is a mural he did on the wall at the hospital where he works to help cheer up the youth patients. He's just that kind of person. He's always there when you need him, he drops in at random times throughout the week to play with my kids and to check in with us, and he does the best impressions I have ever heard in my life. He opens his mouth and I'm immediately in stitches.

So today I just wanted to let Adam know how awesome I think he is. When I told him I'd like a new header he didn't waste any time at all getting started and before I knew it he'd surprised me with the amazing one I have now. All I told him was that I wanted something that reflected me and my reading tastes more and he came up with the most perfect painting I can think of. So thanks, Adam. Happy birthday, bro.