Family

One great source of joy for me is my family.  My wife, Stephanie, and I have been married since 1998 and have six wonderful children, one son-in-law, and one grandson (as of 2024).  Our children are a constant source of laughter and joy in our home, interspersed with periods of frustration, set against a backdrop of the hard, nonstop work of parenting.  For many years, my wife taught our children at home, and we loved the relational benefits and flexibility that home-schooling provided for our family.  I am thankful to have a wife who was willing and able to make that investment in our family and our children. 

Below is a picture of our grandson, who was born in 2024. Obviously, we are in completely in love with him.

I was raised as part of the fourth generation on a Centennial farm in southwest Oklahoma. You can read about the history of that farm and our family here (link).  My father and his wife still live on the farm, and I enjoy the times when I am able to go back to the farm and work with him.  Below is a photo of my dad on the four wheeler with three of our kids at the farm in 2009.

My mother now lives in central Oklahoma and works as a tutor.  I have an older brother, younger brother, younger sister, and foster sister.  I am thankful to come from a "big" family, and when my siblings and I get our families together, chaos ensues, but we have a great time. Below is a photo of a family Christmas celebration in 2017, and the family has continued to grow since this photo was taken.

My wife is from western Iowa.  We met at an FFA conference in Washington D.C. when we were still in high school.  She is my best friend and there is no one I would rather spend time with.  She comes from a farming family as well with roots in Iowa and Nebraska.  She has one brother, who has four kids of his own.  Her parents are great in-laws and they tolerate me pretty well.  Below is a picture of a Thanksgiving celebration with my wife's family in Iowa in 2023.