The Knopf Family

BRIAN'S DAY! Happy 38th Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brian Robert Knopf

born September 30, 1970

9lbs 7 oz

Memories of Your Childhood

September 30, 1970 at 6:00 a.m. I awoke with labor pains. Called the doctor at 7:00 and had my neighbor drop me off at the hospital at 8:00. Your dad was out of town on a trip and would get back to St. Louis as soon as possible. There were three student nurses observing your birth and at 10:15 a.m. you were born - 9 lbs, 7oz. Your dad arrived at the hospital around noon. He had called in along his way home and was told you weren't going to wait for him!

You were a very active child and always smiling with a very sweet, loving, caring, disposition. I remember when you were about 2 1/2 years old, I brought home a rubber alligator toy from Florida. You looked at it and took it to your room. Minutes later you returned to me smiling and said "I made him friendly". You had cut the teeth out of the alligators mouth!

When you were about 7 years old, you tried to save a sick, blind baby duck you picked up at the pond. The mother had abandoned the baby and you found it swimming in circles. In spite of making it a little bed out of a Kleenex box and feeding it bugs and worms, the baby duck did not survive. I explained survival of the fittest and you buried the duck in the woods.

I remember you built a rabbit trap and put it out in the woods and caught a rabbit, to my surprise. You also spent hours building forts in the woods with your friends and then there was your bird phase when you built many, many bird feeders and houses.

You loved to fish, we tried gardening (remember the strawberries and cucumbers?) and you spent hours swimming in the pool and water skiing. Lots of afternoons the whole neighborhood would be over to play in the pool. I remember the flips, dives and jumping while catching a ball off the diving board.

As you grew taller, you would enter the family room and jump to touch every beam on your way through the room!

I was the one who introduced you to cookie dough which I totally regret.

You were always a very good student. However, I remember one day getting a call from your 3rd or 4th grade teacher in the spring of the year saying she felt you needed a hearing test because you weren't paying attention in class. I told her your hearing was fine and it was spring. You were probably tuning her out and thinking about turtles, fish, forts, and dirt bikes!

As I look back on you as a child, not too much has changed! You still fish, swim, dive from high places, have pet turtles, jump through rooms, eat cookie dough, care for the sick, feed the birds, love nature and most importantly, have a sweet, loving, caring disposition and a great smile!!!!! I am very proud of you as a child and a man.

Love you and Happy Birthday,
Your Mom

Brian showing off one of his many crazy dives (he still does this stuff:) and holding up his fish. His mom and brother Tim are also in the picture (and Emmy the dog, I think:)

Dear Brian,

I can't even tell you how proud of you I am! I realize my biggest accomplishment in life as I look at the men that you and Tim have become. You both make me so proud and give me such great joy as I watch the wonderful fathers and husbands that you are.

I always remember the fun times we shared snow skiing together, the trips we went on together and watching you and your awesome barefooting skills in all your waterskiing adventures! It was fun watching you grow up and is just as fun watching the man that you have become. You are a wonderful father to your children. You have always excelled in all your academic and professional endeavors. However, what gives me greater joy is watching you excel in your family life!

Happy Birthday Brian!

I love you,

Your very proud Dad

Bro,

It seems like only yesterday, you tickling me while I was innocently giving you a ride on my bike, mom pulling rocks and cinders out of our bloodied knees and elbows. Or the time we went sledding, "Timmy, just lay down in the sled, I'll sit on your back". I still don't remember how you got me home after the head-on tree collision. Good Times. Have a great birthday! Hopefully you can sneak away and catch some fish on your "special day" without hurting anyone too seriously.

Timmy

a song from Mayli and Carli...

Dear Daddy,

I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful dad. Thank you for being such a good role model. I know it must be exhausting always helping Landon and I with our homework, but you do it anyway. I couldn't imagine if anyone else was my dad because you are the best at being a dad. My favorite "little girl" memory is when you played tickle monster with Landon and I. We would scream and laugh at the same time. I love it when you take me on dates. (speaking of dates, I think its time to take me on one, hint hint).

Love you,

Brianna

Dear Dad,

Thanks for hangin out with me and doin guy stuff. I love all the adventures you take me on. Only a dad like you could put up with sometimes grumpy me. Lets go on an adventure soon.

I love you,

Landon

To Raul From Sabine

Brians memory of me in HS was cheerleader me bee bopping into french class (we were Raul and Sabine) singing this song by Tiffany! I still sing it for him all the time and make him dance with me to it, lol. I was going to put on my cheerleader uniform and make a video for you, but I thought NO ONE wants to see that! So, I will save that for later when I think we are alone, HA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUemWFuMDzg&feature=related