I wanted to encourage other mom's and dad's to do the same thing. Sometimes, I go ahead and read them to each boy and they just light up. I know it makes them feel special to have an entire "story" about them.
I'm pretty certain that most people won't find this post very interesting, but I like to have some of these recorded here and it also is a chance to read some of our funny and intimate times together.
June 10, 2014
My sweet Dane,
You are 6 years old. You counted down to your birthday for
months it seemed and eagerly awaited officially being 6. I loved your
excitement. I love you.
You are such a joy to me; such a gift. About a week before
you turned 6, on May 25, you asked Jesus in your heart. If you ever read over
these letters I’ve written to you through the years or read my prayer journals,
you will soon find out that was my heart’s desire and my earnest prayer for you
since you were conceived. I longed to see you accept Jesus as your personal
Savior and what an honor it was to pray with you as you asked Him to be Lord of
your life. That is a day, a moment, I will never forget. My prayer is that as
you grow through the years, your love for Him deepens. I pray that you have a
true relationship with Him, worship only Him, fear Him, and serve Him. He is
all that matters in this life. He loves you so very much, Dane and He has a
very special plan for your life.
You continue to be a bike-riding-maniac. You are always out
in the driveway cruising around. You have dirt hills in the backyard now that
you “jump”. We went over to the dump and there is a walking track around it.
While I walked next to Webb, you rode around the entire thing by yourself and
lapped us probably 4x. So many little boys your age and older can’t ride
without training wheels and you are just a pro.
We are officially starting Kindergarten this year and you
are so excited to begin the Classical Conversations class. I am excited about
that too and all that you will be learning through this program. You seem to
just learn so rapidly and we have started reading lessons. I waited until you
seemed interested and ready to begin and that was clearly a key. You love to
learn and it is so exciting as your mom to see you “get it” and love it at the
same time. I hope you always enjoy reading.
Some funny things about you: your phrase is, “I got this”
and you generally do! You are so independent and so helpful. You started taking
your own showers when you turned 6 and last night you washed Webb for us too
while we cooked. You sweep the floors, vacuum, fold clothes, put yours away,
and so much more! I am so thankful for all your help. Always remember that
helping out is important and be willing to give a helping hand to everyone you
meet.
You have been asking for twin sisters. I’m telling you, if
that really happens your daddy is likely to kill you. LOL. You remain adamant
though that that is what you want and I find it so cute! I just love that you
want 2 sisters so badly. Secretly, I’m with you on this one!
We went fishing with Daddy and Papa and daddy taught you how
to bait your own hook. Next thing we know, we look over and you are fishing on
your own and baiting your own hook. Yes, clearly, “you have this”.
I’m pretty sure your love language is physical touch which
is also strange because at the same time, you hate it. LOL. You always want
love and snuggles (on your terms), but you stick a pillow between you and Webb
at bedtime! One day you told me I never tell you, “I love you” and I said,
“Dane, I say that all day!” and you said, “But you don’t hug me all day.” That
day crushed me because I felt I must not hug and physically touch you enough
and you must not be feeling loved. It could be a close tie between quality time
too because you also LOVE that. I look forward to seeing more and more of your
personality as you grow and learning you better. Just know, I do love you.
SOOOOO much!
One funny story too: you got mad at me recently and said, “I
wish you were a worm so I could smash you and you’d be dead”. Yes, it was ugly
and yes I had to go in another room to laugh. Where you came up with that is
beyond me, but it cracked me up!
I love you so much sweet, Dane! It is truly an honor and
privilege to raise you and be your mom. I do not take the responsibility
lightly and just know I’m always trying my best. You are a handful and
sometimes you leave me at my whits end. At the same time, you teach me daily
and force me to constantly better myself, stay at the foot of the cross, and
practice virtues I haven’t yet learned myself. You were so good for me when I
had you 6 years ago. God truly used you to change my life and He continues to
do that to make me into the woman I am supposed to be.
Never think you are an accident. God planned you and He knew
you would be before the foundations
of this world. You are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image and for a
purpose. I look forward to seeing what all that entails as you grow. I shore do
love you, Dane (you whispered that in my ear one morning long ago while you
thought I was still sleeping).
Love always!
Mommy
September 20, 2014
My precious Webb,
You are four years old now. FOUR!! My baby isn’t a baby anymore and that makes me feel sad inside. You
are so much fun. We spend most of our time being humored by you and I just love
the laughter and joy you bring to our family Webb. You are super loving and
tenderhearted and I adore seeing those character traits come out in you. Never
forget that real men show their emotions. It is ok to be moved with compassion.
Your curly hair turns so many heads. Random people walk by
and refer to you as “Curly”. You scrunch up your face and snarl your nose in
their direction. Oh, sweet boy! How I long to see you appreciate those curls
the Lord blessed you with. You get upset that Dane has an angel kiss on his
shoulder and you don’t. I tried telling you that your curls were where the
angels all took turns kissing you before you came to earth. I just knew you
would love them then. NOPE! You told me, “Well dem should hab tissed my sho-dair
wike dey did Dane.” You told me that when you turned four, “I not hab dees
turls anymoe.” Thankfully, you were wrong about that one. One day your
Great-Gran was leaving and she said, “Bye, Curly!” Without missing a beat you
said, “Bye you Old Butt-hole!” It was totally inappropriate and you had better
just thank-your-lucky-stars she laughed, but so did I. It still makes me laugh.
That is what you love to do. Make us laugh.
You are a bike riding crazy man! You have been able to ride
with no training wheels since you turned 3. You didn’t always feel confident on
there, so you didn’t officially ride full-time with no training wheels until
about 6 months before you turned 4. You do “bike stunts” where you ride with
one hand and other shenanigans. Your brother had this bike ramp set up and you
would ride as hard as you could up it and then stop at the top. We laughed
ourselves silly watching you fall face first, bike and all, off the top of that
to the ground. You would just pick your bike up and go again. Tough guy!!
You are tough, but oh so tender! You will randomly walk up
and hug me and say, “I ludge you, momma.” Sweet angel, I ludge you too. More
than you could ever know. You are my ray of sunshine and you bring out the soft
side in all of us. I watch your daddy just melt with you. You are quick to
forgive and quick to obey. Getting in trouble really bothers you and you aim to
please. You haven’t required many spankings. Although, you are a total MESS!
I was sick recently, on your actual birthday. You were so
wild that day. I found you butt-naked in your bathroom sink. Water was
EVERYWHERE as was soap. I walked in and you were laughing so hard you couldn’t
breathe. I said, “What are you doing?” You said, “Washing my nuts. Now you not
hab to!!” Oh boy. You are just too much some days. That same day, you nursed me
back to health. You would wake me up with my water and a straw to my lips. You
would rub my face and move hair off it and bring me the thermometer to take my
temp. You reminded me to apply oils and take my Silver. My tender boy.
A few months back I was making a slideshow for Granddaddy’s
60th birthday. While watching old pictures from when I was little flash
up, you looked up at me with big tears in your eyes and said, “Mommy, I feen-ch
dis is doe-ing to make to try.”
We just love the way you talk!!!! So do so many other
people. I need to do a better job of recording your sweet accent and syllables.
I know I will miss it when you talk plain. You asked me awhile back, “Mommy,
what wed-air do Den-Daddy (Granddaddy) tart width?” I said, “G” and you said, “What
do G sound why-ch?” I told you, “ggg” and you said, “Rah Rah, Den Daddy.” I
couldn’t hold in my laughs. You are so cute.
For awhile you would make lists in your mind and “check” it
off out loud. “Dot hour bye-ch, chech, hemets, chech, and wad-air, chech. We
weady to doe on hour bye-che wide.” (you add that “ch” sound to so many words,
or “dge”. Truck is tru-ch, dog is dodge, bike is bye-ch, water is wad-air, this
is thi-ch”.)
These three years have been FUN. I look forward to continuing
to watch you grow and thrive.
God sent you to us as a surprise. I still remember my shock
when I saw the positive pregnancy test. Nothing could have prepared me for
loving 2 children. I didn’t think it would be possible to love another child as
deeply as I did your brother. How amazing that God created our hearts to hold
endless amounts of love. I love you with the same intense, unconditional love
that I love Dane. You are not an accident. You forced my heart to grow in order
to hold that kind of love. You have made me into a better person and mom. Webb,
you force me to the foot of the cross each day and to become the best possible me. You have stretched me in ways I
never thought possible and you have challenged me to live what I say. I am so
thankful that God trusted us enough to raise you. You are ultimately His. He has
loaned you to us and I am eternally grateful. I do not take the responsibility lightly.
My prayer is that you seek Him and that you find Him. He longs to have a relationship
with you and to see you surrender your life to Him. God has a big plan for you
and I am so excited to see what that is. Always look to Jesus. He is the answer.
Life can be crazy, hard, and heartbreaking. Run to your Abba, Father. And know your
mommy is praying for you continuously. I am always here for you.
I love you, sweet boy.
Mommy
