Happy 40th Birthday David

This is David and me on the floor on his first birthday! His Mom is looking on. I remember his frist birthday like it was yesterday.
The next photo is David and "The Aunts" as we fondly become known. We were probably called that the first weekend we met him in Maryland. It stuck and we love it.

This idea of birthday thoughts I got from Bethany who did this for her father. I think it is a priceless gift and worth more than many gifts, but that is just my opinion. We did this for Holly's 60th and she loved it. So here we go.

This year Bethany will be 30, David will be 40, I will be 50 (OY!) and Holly is 60!
We are in quite a cool group. So with all that being said. Here is our gift to David in celebration of his 40 years on this earth. I wanted to include the baby photo of him in his red suit, and the toddler photo of he and I on a big wheel, and his preteen no braces photo and his senior photo. But I have not been able to lay my hands on those photos, so you'll have to use your imagination!

TO CELEBRATE HIS FORTY YEARS OF LIFE:
FORTY REASONS WHY WE LOVE
MICHAEL DAVID KESTNER:










From Aunt Heidi: Can it really be 40 years since you were that beautiful little baby?
1. I love David because he is the best little brother I never had, and he sometimes even calls me for advice.
2. I love David because he can go bare chested snow mobile riding in the snow; he loves a good laugh, and loves to laugh.
3. I love David because he is resourceful and never gives up.
4. I love David because he loves family. He is a wonderful father to his 4 children; he loves his wife and will do anything in his power to spend time with family.
5. I love David because he is loyal to his faith.
6. I love David because he spent the summer with me in 1985, and learned to love my Boy Scout camp.
7. I love David because he came for a visit to help me with my house projects and because of him and his need for tools I called Tim the tool man and wound up marring him!
8. I love David because he can build a house.
9. I love David because he was my father’s first grandson, and made him proud. He had 3 sons to carry on the Kestner name, and a beautiful daughter to take care of him in his old age.
10. I love David because he has had more cars than I have had boyfriends!




From Aunt Holly: Happy 40th Birthday David, may your next 40 birthdays be even more fun. XOXO Aunt Holly
1. I love you because you were not only the first baby of the next generation in our family, as it turned out, you were also the prettiest. It is a fond memory that I met you just home from the hospital and I can claim to be the first family member, other than your mom, to have held you.
2. When we come to visit, you stop and visit with us and that makes us feel welcome, each time we visit we get to know you a little bit better.
3. I love your warm wonderful voice, both speaking and singing.
4. I love that you married well and that you know you did.
5. I love that after 3 perfect sons and one perfect daughter you had the wisdom to stop before you buried yourself in children.
6. I love how honest you are and I respect you for that.
7. I love that you are not afraid to buy a new car or get rid of an old one.
8. I love that you work so hard and never give up.
9. I love you because you accept your Grandmother and The Aunts for the women they are.
10. I love that your name is almost exactly the same as my sons name and because a lot of your humor and mannerisms remind me of my brother.




The first photo we saw of you. With your loving Mother in the hospital.






From Aunt Kitti: Happy 40th Birthday David

1. I love David because he was the most beautiful baby ever born.
2. I love David because he is the only person who ever thanked me for changing his diaper!
3. I love David because he was the best biggest brother ever, drawing on his own diaper changing skills.
4. I love David because he was the first Kestner of the fourth generation to love The Lake.
5. I love David because he allowed me to corrupt him just a little (see #4 above!)
6. I love David because he provided endless hilarity by falling into the septic tank.
7. I love David because he was the only grandchild ever held by my Daddy, Al Kestner.
8. I love David because he named his son Al(ex) Knight Kestner.
9. I love David because he gave us a new Kestner girl: Marcy.
10. I love David because he reminds me of my brother in his bearing and attitude, and that’s a good thing.

3-15-10
A last minute addition, she lost her list and recalled the above from memory!
So now it is 43!
I love his rosy red cheeks.
I love his Hershey brown eyes.
I love that he has become my baby sister's baby brother.



From Grandma: Happy 40th to my first Grandson
I love David because:
1. He is the only grandchild Al ever knew.
2. He was the first to make us grandparents.
3. He is the first to carry on Mike’s given name.
4. He was greatly involved in ‘raising’ his younger siblings.
5. He has all the ‘manly craft’ skills that I admire.
6. He is open minded about many things.
7. He will do whatever it takes to make ends meet.
8. He doesn’t give up and often starts over.
9. He is a good role model for his sons, and loves his daughter.
10. He keeps a close and welcome contact with his eastern family.


Four generations at your parents reafirmation in December 1970 in Ohio.
Margie Jane Sturgis Kestner
Emily Blanche Alexander Sturgis
Michael Sturgis Kestner
Michael David Kestner