Happy Birthday boys!

Here is a little riddle: I was my mother's 2nd pregnancy but I am the 4th child in my family, how is that possible? You got it... I have triplet brothers and today is their birthday. They were born on November 9, 1945 in Detroit, Michigan. My dad was in the Army and World War II had just ended in August. Mom was pregnant and they were anxious to get out of the military and get on with their lives. At 6 months along Mom was X-rayed and told that she was carrying 3 babies! But they were also told not to plan too much on live births since the chances at that time were only fair. At 8 months Mom developed toxemia so her Dr. decided to induce the babies. She went into labor about 3 pm and the babies were born around 7 pm, all within 20 minutes of each other. The babies were small but healthy: Craig was 4 lbs 15 oz, Kent was 4 lbs 4 oz and Scott was 4 lbs 6 oz. Mom's Dr. was a white-haired older man who had delivered Charles Lindbergh's children and many of the Ford family babies and he said that these were the first triplets he had ever delivered so now he could retire! (George Romney -- Mitt Romney's father was their Branch President and my dad was the ward clerk -- just an interesting side piece).

Men were being discharged from the Army on a point system = 12 points were allowed for each child and overnight my Dad acquired 36 points which immediately made him eliglble for discharge. My mother's mom had come a week before the boys were born and stayed with them until they flew home 6 weeks later. I guess the flight was a nightmare with bad weather, delays, rerouting on a train, cargo planes and multiple plane changes along with 3 newborns! It took them almost 24 hours to get from Detroit, Michigan to Amalga, Utah. They didn't get there until 2 am and they had run out of formula at 10 pm and that was back in the days when you made your own formula! Mom said she would rather give birth to triplets again than take that journey!

I have always been so impressed and amazed with my parents! To start out with triplets and then keep going and ending up with a total of 8 children. I know I could never have done it! I was the next child born. I am 3 years and 8 months younger than the triplets. After 3 roudy boys my parents were pretty excited to get a little girl so I think I might have been somewhat spoiled. The next sibling after me was another boy so I had a lot of years of being the "little princess" and even to this day I'm referred to as "the child that can do no wrong"! It is totally not an accurate statement but I have enjoyed the connotation over the years.

What was it like having triplets for older brothers, you ask? I loved it! It was great! They were so much fun! There was ALWAYS something going on. They never sat still and I just tagged along. Kent & Scott are identical and Craig is fraternal and it has been evident as they grew up. Kent and Scott have always been the academic ones and Craig has been the creative, hands on one.

Craig graduated from college with a degree in engineering and has his own plastic rotation molding company. He can build anything and is an extreme perfectionist. Everything he takes on becomes a masterpiece. He is the father to 4 sons and 13 grandchildren. He has been a pilot, scuba diver, marathon runner, bicycling enthusiast and most recently took a 3 week safari to Africa.

Kent graduated from college with 5 degrees! (I told you he was academic!) He has a law degree and an accounting degree and a master's in tax. I can't remember the rest of them. He is a super talented and tremendously generous person, especially with his time. He loves to fix up and repair anything. He is always up for helping you out with broken sprinklers, plumbing or whatever comes along. He has been through lots of different phases of career choices but has ended up now with his own law practice and is enjoying alot of travel with his wife's job at a tour company. He has 5 children and 11 granddaughters!

Scott graduated from dental school and has been a dentist for all these years. He is an extreme perfectionist also. So if he gets into your mouth, all will be beautiful and perfect when he is done. He loves a good discussion and will argue with you over whatever just for the sake of arguing (in a good way). Don't ever expect to win. Atleast, I don't think I have ever convinced him my way! (he should have been the lawyer!) He is sweet and compassionate and very smart! He has 12 children (4 of them are step children) and 14 grandkids (if I counted correctly).

I just wanted to share my big brothers with you today on their special day of the year. I LOVE YOU GUYS! You mean the world to me. I have always been so proud of you and grateful to have you in my life. Hope you have an enjoyable day! Hope you can blow out all those candles -- go ahead and eat all the cake and ice cream you want! You deserve it!