Jeff B - Illinois

Arthur Rubinstein once said, "To be alive, to be able to see, to walk...it's all a miracle. I have adapted the technique of living life from miracle to miracle."

Jeff has witnessed many miracles. His children are three that have left him in wonder. As he's facing cancer, his desire is for each of his kids to know just how very, very proud he is of them all. And, that he wants grandchildren. Grand-girls, as matter of fact ; )

~Claire

The first time that my wife, Roberta, and I found out that we were going to be parents was Christmastime of 1982. We were so excited that we couldn't stand it. We wanted to have children and we were looking forward to it. A boy or a girl, it didn't matter. To have a boy and a girl is totally perfect, I think. So, we were excited. Very, very, very excited.

Back in those days, you didn't do any tests to find out it was a boy or a girl. So, you had to get two names ready and everything else.

Our son, Paul, was born first. We were so excited we couldn't stand it. There were lots of friends that we had that had babies at the same time. One, matter of fact, was a woman that was in the hospital when we went to the hospital. They had just had their son, Isaiah, and then Paul was born the next day. We went to visit her on our way to the Labor Department.

Our daughter, Susan, was born almost three years later, on Memorial Day. We had to get the doctor from a picnic, a Memorial Day picnic. He got there just in time, literally just put on his gown to catch Susan as she came out. We were very, very excited that she was a girl.

Our third child, Alexander, came around 10 years later. He was born in 1993 in Russia to Russian parents and ultimately ended up in an orphanage, put up for adoption by the government. So, in 1999, we set out on an adventure to adopt a boy from Russia. And here came Alex. He was 6 1/2 years old. We didn't want a baby because we were older; we were 46. Matter of fact, it was on Roberta’s 46th birthday when we got Alex.

To me, there is nothing like seeing God in the creation of a human being. That's what I thought of most on the days that each of our children were born. Immediately. And then with Alex, we were taking him out of an orphanage. We were delighted and in wonder with all three of them.

We had a blast with our Christmas traditions. A long time ago when Paul and Susan were very young, we started it. I would give everybody five dollars and we would have to buy presents for each other. You had to come in under your five dollars and whoever was closest to five dollars got an extra prize. It was always Susan. She could calculate it like she does now, with her shopping and blogging about it. Back then, she shopped and bragged about it but now she blogs about it.

Our family loved going to the beach together. If there was anything that we loved going to do, it was going to the water. We had two houseboat vacations that were a blast. And we had several vacations to beaches that were really, really a lot of fun that we either went to with another family or other friends. We had a blast planning it and we had a blast going on them, driving to them. It was a lot of fun.

Family devotionals were a blast here at our house when the kids were younger. We would act them out and do all kinds of crazy things like shaking the couch like it was a boat in the sea during a storm.

I love to be with my children. I love to go out to dinner or other places, shopping, with them. When we go downtown to see Paul and his wife, Sara, it's fun to just walk around, walk down the street, go to ice cream places or restaurants. It's fun to go visit Ben and Susan because they are in their element there. We love it. And Alex and I go on little trips; we've been on several little trips to go ATVing. We've gone four wheeling in Wisconsin. We've gone skiing several times. Alex, Paul and I have played paintball and we have a blast.

The happiest time for our family, for all of us, was when Paul got married and Susan got married. Those were happy times because we really like Sara and we really like Ben. Both weddings were fun and we had a blast together. I can't wait to go on a vacation all together.

I think what makes our family special is that we are together and that we like each other; I think that makes our family special. I love it.

I think that there is nothing that makes me happier than my children. I'm proud of them all the time, all of them. I don't just have a moment, I'm proud of them all the time. I really am. I'm proud that they love us. I'm proud of what they do. I'm proud of Paul and Susan for graduating from college.

I look forward to having grandchildren. I want grand-girls, just so you know.

I think the most important thing for my children to learn from me is faith in God. And, to take care of each other, to always pay attention and think about one another in our family.

What I want people to remember most about me is that I cared for them, that I really, truly, honestly care for people. When I'm gone, I just want people to feel that I really loved them. That's what I'd like.

I want Paul and Susan and Alex to care for one another, to care for other people, and to love God. "Love the Lord with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and strength…" and don't ever stop. Sing songs and be happy; be joyful. Live a joyful life.