Eight: a happy birthday

Dear Isaac,

Early yesterday morning you bounced into our room and said, "I'm eight years old!"  Never have I seen anyone so happy about a birthday.  All day long you were positively wiggly with excitement over turning eight.  :)

You opened presents shortly after that trip to our room-- some LEGO mini figures, a model, a LEGO set, a game, a book, some treats chosen by your sisters~ and then you were off to play with it all.

You chose homemade doughnuts* for breakfast.  You had seen a picture on the cover of a magazine I had lying around and decided- months ago- that that's what you wanted for your birthday meal.  (Later, I baked your other request: chocolate cake with lime frosting.  ;))

You stood next to the back door so that we could mark your height, and you were so smiley about the fact that you are taller than Ella was at the same age. 

You are growing, my boy.  So often when I look at you now I am struck by how tall you are, and how my little boy just isn't so little anymore.

You still like building LEGO creations- and you're a really inventive builder, daddy says- but many days the LEGO bins stand untouched because you're on the couch with a book in hand.  Your favorite books are The Narnia series.  Daddy read those aloud a couple of years ago, but you read them on your own in just a few weeks.  You love to ride your bike, too.  It's one of your favorite things. You like to climb (trees! on top of the swingset!) and find bugs (not spiders) and explore.  You love the woods: there's so much to see and find and so many things to climb.  :)

You are silly and imaginative and are always ready with a "What if...?" question.  You smile often.  You laugh just as often.  You are a kind older brother.  Audra has learned to ask you if she needs help making something or finding something: you are always happy to drop what you're doing and help.  You are thoughtful and willing to play things the little girls might like to play, even if you're not very interested in it yourself.

You ask me- several times a day, always in the kitchen- "Mommy, what can I do to be your helper?"  You know that mealtimes can be a busy time for me- getting everything ready and on the table- and you are always there, waiting for me to tell you what you can do.  You offer to take groceries in for me all the time and you *always* take the biggest load- even when I try to talk you out of it.  ;)

You love Bible time- and especially the Old Testament stories.  You are truly captivated by what God can do and how big He is and how He chooses to work.  I love how much you love that.  As I prayed for you today, I asked God that with each new year, you would love Him ever more than you did the previous year.  That is my heart's desire.   You think eight is good?  I can't wait to see what God has for you in the years to come!

You are so loved, my sweetest budders.  You are truly a gift, and I am so thankful God made you!

Love,
Mommy


*Doughnut recipe here.