James!

Thank you so much for letting me take your senior pictures. I’ve been lucky enough to know you since we were both kids, so I am a bit in denial that you are going to be a senior next year! Where does the time go?

I can’t help but reminisce on the privilege it has been to me and my family to know you! Over the years, you have provided endless entertainment, laughter, and friendship to us. I’ll never forget the laughs and conversations our family has shared with you as we’ve reminisced our Costa Rica trip memories or joked about your and Andrew’s ‘unique’ approaches to removing buckthorn and old bush stumps off our property. You make the environment lighter and more enjoyable when you are in it! Also, I’ve always been impressed with your manners, and the way you take the time to ask how our days are going with sincerity. Gestures like this make a real impact on people - you make an impact on people in more ways than you could know.

Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to my brother! You are one of the few people I’ve seen be a true, dedicated, selfless friend for so many years. We are all SO thankful for you — I can’t imagine not having you in our lives! You truly feel like family, and it’s actually weird at this point when there’s a day you don’t make an appearance at our house. Our doors are always open to you, remember that :-)

I’ve watched you pave your own path in a way few 17-year-olds have. God has deposited a strategic and unique set of talents in you and I am so proud of (and impressed by!) how you have developed those into a career already. I believe in you and am rooting for you! I also strongly believe that there are talents and dreams you haven’t even discovered yet, but are yet to be revealed to you. There is so much to come and so much to be excited. This is just the beginning!

Congratulations on almost being done with high school Jamesie! You’re almost there!