I just discovered I did not post this last night when I wrote it. Sorry, this birthday blog is one day late Andrew.
If you know me, you know how much I enjoy being an Aunt. It was so very exhilarating when all the kids were young, but there is a whole new level of adventure and pride now that they are all growing up.
I am amazed at how God continues to work so uniquely in each of their lives, and today I celebrate the life of Andrew John on his 21st birthday.
Andrew has grown up so good and continues to seek God’s direction in his life. I love how he is a fellow of deep love for his family, has a growing faith, is disciplined, pursuing his goals, kind, brilliant, quite soft-spoken and loyal.
Sometimes when I look at my grown up nephew Andrew I can see the playful child, a dressed up superhero who loved to hang out with his cousins and play from early morning to late at night. 
Sometimes when I look at Andrew, I see this growing up kid who is less about superhero’s and Pokemon and more about sharing this emerging personality. He is quiet and can surprise you with his humor or his engaging conversation about real life issues.
And then somehow overnight this kid grew into this taller than his Papa and Beppe
teenager who had such a kind and compassionate heart. He would engage his youngest cousin or his grandparents with equal interest in who they are. He began to become a kid with a vision for what he wanted to do in the world and began to pursue it. He began to engage his faith in real ways.
And now today, this 21-year-old nephew of mine is in his 3rd year at the United States Naval Academy. He is pursuing his dreams, trusting God’s call on his life, and enjoying a relationship with someone I look forward to getting to know. I am so proud of you Andrew and love you so much! Hoping your 21st year brings you great adventure, deep satisfaction, many moments with those you love and a growing clarity of what your future may hold!
