Our oldest grandson, Tristan has turned 14 years old today. I can hardly believe it! Although some of the unbelief is that he is big enough to be 18. He is now towering over me.
Because of how time consuming it is to go through all the poorly organized, non-digital photos that we have, I have some big age gaps in my pictures. It is also very hard for me to choose which pictures to use, so I have lots more than I probably should. Grandmothers (Nanas) are so sentimental!
Tristan is brand new here. Isn't he beautiful. He always was a big boy and he always had a ton of hair, as is the custom on our side of the family. We are hair snobs! Tristan is one of the winners in that contest.
Even as a very young one Tristan was a cuddly armful.
My dad's first great-grandson! I think he was 2-3 months here.
Tristan may kill me for this picture. Look at the legs and the cheeks on that baby
One year old now. So cute!
Maybe 1 1/2 here. Such personality!
With our first three grandchildren when Tristan was about 15 months.
Here are some things I especially love about Tristan Ross Orvis:
1. He has always had great enthusiasm for the good things in life. He has a lot of fun and is always willing to try something new. Right now he is into music. He has started playing the drums and been chosen quite young at his school to be part of an elite singing group. I never know what new thing Tristan will be participating in, but it is usually something great.
Four wheeling with his mom, Sage and Riley.
2. Tristan is kind. He has a soft place in his heart for the little kids, for the dogs, and for others. I will never forget the service he did in my name on my 60th birthday. In school his class was supposed to split into groups and he noticed a couple of the "nerdier" kids didn't have enough members of their group. Since he had committed to doing service for me that day, he joined their group to help them feel more accepted. (He also got a good grade on the project since they were also smart.) Tristan has always had many friends. He has had kids at the door and on the phone (and now on Facebook) all his life seek him out as a friend. I guess that means he is nice to them and fun to be with.
3. Tristan is very loving and good with his little brothers and sisters. That is a very good thing, since there are so many of them. When Riley was little, his favored spot was sitting by her in the car or at dinner. He has adored Baby Grace and...
(Holding newborn Gracie.)
(Here he has Charlie fresh from the hospital.)
...the twins. And they just love him, too, because of it. His mom really needs older kids that love the little ones and are willing to help out!
4. Tristan is a natural outdoorsman and also is an expert at paintball, fourwheeling, boating, waterskiing and lots of other fun activities I don't have pictures of. He participates in Scouting and really enjoys the outdoor activities. It is harder as you get older to do all the things scouting requires. I hope he sticks with it.
5. I can get a smile and hug from Tristan at the drop of a hat. I love his bear hugs when I arrive. He used to greet me by saying, "Nana, what did you bring me?" Now he just acts happy to see me and gives me one of those great hugs. You don't know how much a grandmother needs that. Don't stop, Tristan. My big grown sons still give me those kinds of hugs!
6. Tristan has been a hunter since he was very young. He is a good shot and has had real success younger than some kids have even accompanied their dads on a hunt. 
Papa loves to have his oldest grandson share his love of hunting and the outdoors. He looks for ways to be with him in this interest as much as possible.
Axis deer in Florida.
Alligators?
That is Tristan ready for the play in the very center.
With Steve to help coach and encourage Tristan, he really had a great couple of years. He also enjoyed the camaraderie with his friends as they work hard to build a team and beat the other teams.
8. Tristan is a great example for the rest of the cousins. Since Tristan is our oldest grandson, the choices he makes will have an impact on the younger kids, especially the boys, coming up. He is just the one to start things out right. He is our only grandson to have the priesthood, so far, and he honors it. Though all the cousins close to his age are girls, he gets along with them so well. There are many, many younger boys coming up who will look up to this good young man.
At our first Grand Camp with Papa.
Boogie boarding during Grand Camp.
Horseback riding was a new experience, but Tristan was a natural.
With Sage about to get wet at Magic Mountain.
9. Tristan recognizes the Spirit. When Sage was baptised, Tristan, who was twelve, bore his testimony in Sacrament Meeting. It was one of my favorite experiences as a grandmother. I was surprised when he went up to the stand, since Tristan isn't a person to seek out the limelight or attention. He said he just couldn't stay in his seat. He said that he had felt the spirit three times in the past week. One was right then when it pushed him out of his seat to bear his testimony. Another was the day before when Sage was baptised. He hadn't wanted to go see Sage get "dunked," as he said it, but gave in to his mother and went. The baptism was fine, but then at the little family gathering between the baptism and the confirmation, his three grandmothers were asked to bear their testimonies. He said he felt the spirit so strong at that meeting that it made it worth it to be there even on a Saturday afternoon. The other time was when he had gone to do baptisms for the dead in the Bountiful temple earlier in the week with the ward. Someone had discouraged him from going, saying that "baptisms for the dead are over rated." But he had gone anyway. He said when he came up from being immersed in the water the first time in the temple, that the spirit had washed over him and felt so good that he knew that it was the work of the Lord. He said he wanted to feel that spirit often and be where it was strong like that. I have never forgotten that testimony. It is one of the best I have heard from someone that age and one of the most real.
10. Tristan is very smart. He grasps concepts quickly and understands. I know he is a typical boy and hates to do homework and busy work, but his mind is sharp and his intellect is keen and he will make great use of it in his life, I am sure. I am so proud of Tristan and who he is.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRISTAN!!
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