...but just to add to that because I like having the last word...  my favorite part was watching all those kids playing on the trampoline, squirting their parents in the eyeballs with spray bottles, catching Xander and Parker as they dove down the slide, endlessly fetching escaped bouncy balls from the trampoline,  listening to bluegrass, and devouring Connie's cake.  Thanks Kane.  All you ever have to do is be you, and it gives me an unparallelled peace in God's plan (no matter the "storm").

Happy Birthday My Son!

OK so I'm still a day early but today was great! We woke up early this morning or rather Shannon woke up, then Kane woke up, then Kane woke Daddy up. After the normal running around the house to get the boys dressed and fed, get the dogs fed, get the boy's shoes on, tell Shannon to hurry up in the bathroom, listen to Shannon say how tired she is of me picking on her about getting ready in the morning, eat some cereal, down a second cup of coffee, get dressed, oh and feed the cat we finally made it off to church. Church was great as usual, good sermon, good fellowship and good worship. Pastor Ed spoke of the fact that we all will face storms in life and must persevere through them to become better Christians. After the sermon and Sunday School it's back to the homestead for the finishing touches before Kane's Birthday Party. For my part that included poop patrol, tiki torch installation, trash pickup in the yard, Shannon insisted I spray down the dry dirt in the backyard so it wasn't so dusty, water the garden, harvest today's yield(yes I believe myself to be a farmer), clean up the shed a little better in case someone from church wants to look in there(who says guy's don't care what their shed looks like), relocate the crate upstairs to safely stash the youngest dog, place sheets over the bed for the 2nd dog to not ruin my comforter and finally sit down on the back porch with Shannon for five minutes before family shows up. I forgot, go get more propane for the grill in case we need it. Despite all the preparations today was great. Kane immensely enjoyed his trampoline as well as all his gifts and company. Thank you to all that graced us with your company and to my beautiful wife for all her hard work in setting up. More then anything thank you God for such a beautiful almost four year old still my baby boy. God has truly given us ups and downs with this one from cleft lip repairs to plunges off the back of an old truck, potty training to not wanting Dad's help on the potty, speech therapy to being called by the sitter "her little Debater", a shy child who won't say hello to a child who ask me daily when he's going back to school and who by the grace of the Lord has more Bible verses memorized then I do though I hesitate in revealing that. Son if you read this one day know that in four years you have made more proud of you then I ever knew was possible. Keep God in your heart and faith on your mind with hope in your soul and always love your life as much I see you do now and you'll be truly blessed and so will I.

Josh and I are expecting Jackson "Colt" to arrive around the first of November... making him our 3rd boy and expanding our family to FIVE.  Josh came up with the name in the waiting area at the OB after we saw the ultrasound.  This kid was all over the place... twisting and turning in my belly like a little pistol.  Hence the name :o)  "Jackson" is short for Jacksonville (home of the Phillips family).  "Colt" is for Josh's latest gun hobby.  And in typical Ferrell fashion, we'll call him Colt to follow suit with Joshua "Kane" (baby Ferrell #1) and John "Parker" (baby Ferrell #2).

So welcome  to the fam little man.  You've got 3 huge dogs, a cat, 2 brothers, and a daddy and a mommy that can't wait for your B day!