It doesn't seem possible that you just turned six. We're pretty sure you turned two like, um, yesterday! These years are flying by and you are growing up right before our eyes. When we realized the other day that we're a third of the way through raising you into an "adult" we freaked out just a bit! So much of this first third of your life has shaped you into how you'll tackle these next two thirds of childhood. We can only hope that we've done a few things right, because now so much will be influenced by more than just us. You'll have classmates, teammates, teachers, and so many others that impact the choices you make.
Thankfully, we know that you have had a great foundation. You are an amazing six year old and we rarely have to worry about you. Just as when you were little, you make daily life pretty easy. You are a happy, outgoing child and still have such a sweet innocence about you. You've always been cautious and continue to have the tendency to strive for perfection, so as a result, you don't fail very often - which can certainly cause problems (like the fact that you are still horrible at losing gracefully)! You are kind and sensitive, and definitely spend more time crying than either of your younger siblings! As much as that drives us nuts, we know it is just because of how sweet you are and how deeply passionate you are about everything you do (both of which are admirable qualities). You love to play, but are also totally content to relax and watch TV. You also have an amazing imagination and we love your creativity. You could spend hours drawing, creating, coloring, and making up stories. Reading and writing have become two of your favorite things to do. We're amazed by how well you do both, and are thankful for the fact that you are a natural learner. As such, you've done great during your first year of school. You are eager to go and are almost always glowing with excitement when jumping off the bus to come home each day. In school, you are in your element...surrounded by friends for constant socialization, and engrossed in learning new things daily. You have tons of "best friends" and still seem to be content to play with kids of any age or gender. Though it is clear you have several secret admirers amongst your little girl friends, you remain clueless and we are happy about that!
When it comes to being a true best friend, there is really nobody you are closer with than your own two siblings. Though you fight incessantly with them, you are truly an amazing big brother. You display more patience than the average six year old and are insanely tolerant. There are definitely times, however, when you reach your limit with them and the chaos the ensues is challenging for us all. Being a first born, you have your mind set on things and want plans to go your way at all times (or maybe that's not a firstborn trait, but just a direct result of having two very stubborn and strong-willed parents)! You've begun to show your salesman skills by learning to negotiate with them in an effort to gain the most out of each situation. Somehow, the other day, after you all received a few sheets of stickers, you ended up with 3 sheets, Leah had 1, and everyone thought they came out winning! Unfortunately, as your sister and brother get older, they tend to go along with every plan you make less often than you'd like. There are lots of moments in which we contemplate shipping you all off to continents on separate ends of the earth because we're afraid that one more minute in the same hemisphere might result in the destruction of the entire universe! On the occasions where you do all play harmoniously, though, it is absolutely beautiful. The house becomes filled with laughter and joy and we watch as you guys turn your bedroom into a pirate ship or the basement into a campout or the family room into a school....and the list goes on and on. Or there are those moments when out of pure love, you selflessly choose your siblings over yourself - offering the last piece of dessert to them instead of yourself, giving them first choice with something because you know it's the kind thing to do, or simply being the first to offer a hug or an ice pack when someone is hurt.
Indeed, you are an amazing brother, friend, and son. We couldn't be more pleased with having you as the child that sets the standard for our other two. Sometimes we worry that you set the bar a little too high, but that's for us to deal with! We pray that with each passing year, you grow more and more into the person that God has created you to be. From what we can tell so far, He is going to use you in amazing ways. This past year, we've seen you grow so much closer to Him and the joy that this brings us cannot be explained in words. Your interest in the Bible, learning scripture, and understanding how to live like Christ seems so much greater than what we thought it would be at the age of six. As a result, we find our own faith growing right alongside your's...and that is simply awesome! Thank you for shining the light of Jesus in our home and all around the world you live in. May that light NEVER grow dim and as each year passes, we pray it only grows brighter!
Love,
Daddy and Mommy
