Happy Birthday, John!

Dear Hearts,

July 18th is the birthday of John Sullivan Bornhop: son of Andy and Patty; brother of Andrew and Thomas; nephew, cousin, coach and teammate to many more folks. John is one of ten men in our family's last few generations who was given the name that means "God is Gracious."

John has just completed his second year as a high school English teacher at Villa Park High School, near Orange. He loves bringing his students on the journey through great novels, and presenting to them new perspectives through the literature. He geeks out over F. Scott Fitzgerald and will patiently walk anyone through the challenges of reading and understanding "Frankenstein."

Before he became a teacher, John worked as a Special Ed Aide at the high school. In his first year of teaching General Ed English, he was excited that his former Special Ed students were dropped off every morning right in front of his classroom, so he could greet them and check in with them. It was in the Special Ed program where John met his girlfriend, Misty, who also worked as an aide.

Outside of the classroom, John is an assistant coach on the school's varsity baseball team, spending an awful lot of time in that endeavor out of pure love of the game (and a small stipend). In 2018, the Villa Park Spartans won their league for the first time in a long time. He's been strapping on his cleats and stepping onto the diamond as a player from the time he played T-ball in 1998, through high school and college.

Due to Covid-19, the state has shut down all high school sports, so John has had a bit more free time this summer to do a little exploring--Joshua Tree National Park, Zion National Park and some local outings. All the while, listening to an eclectic soundtrack of country, folk, rock and alternative music, another of his pass times. He and his college teammates have set up a friendly fitness competition that keeps John on the move--bike riding, conditioning, swimming, etc.

Andy and I are very proud of the young man John has become--faithful, kind, compassionate, funny, smart and loving. I've always said I'm so lucky God sent us this guy to teach me how to be a mom.

Happy birthday, John, and may you have 98 more healthy ones, respectively, by the Aunt Joannie Sullivan Law of Longevity Aspiration of 2008.

God bless us and save us and keep us from harm.

Love, Patty/Mom

John's song from me, sung to the tune of Davey Crockett:

Born on a Sunday in a mild July
He came a month early, though we don't know why.
At seven pounds he was a healthy guy
And when he was born, his mom and dad gave a sigh.
Johnny! Johnny Bornhop! Little tiny man.