A Note From Mom: Baby Ruby Is One

Today, another piece of my heart grew. 

Little Ruby has been the personification of joy in my life. When she smiles, her whole body smiles. She's our little baby doll. And most of the time she loves that. 

Though in this last couple of weeks, she has grown and begun doing things that 'kids' do... not toddler kids, but kid kids. As number four, she will always be racing after the others to be doing whatever they are doing, laughing at whatever they are laughing at, just doing her best to keep up with them. And I think she will. She's a light that began shining brightly the moment she arrived.

She has been my calm. She now keeps me on my toes. When I hold her close, there is a connection that I really can't put into words. She was knit together in me at a time when my life was all over the place. We sold a house, we bought a house, the house fell through, we lived with Duane, we looked and looked for other houses, we found OUR house, we moved in, Ruby arrived three weeks later. I could always connect with her though, because she was a part of me. 

Rubes McGubes, I love you so. I love your squishy baby body, I love your laugh. I love the way you point at things and then talk as if we all understand you. Little Love, you are something else!

A Note From Mom: Sweet Little Elly, You're FIVE!!!!

Oh, my little Sweetness! It's unbelievable to me that you are five. You are such an amazing soul. Your kindness slays me and the genuine generosity that pours from your heart sometimes makes me catch my breath. You are being molded for greatness. 

I pray that you will always exercise the bravery that stirs within you (though it TERRIFIES me!) and always act upon the goodness and love that you have for others. I pray that you always cling tightly to the courage to do the right thing, and that you never stop reminding me how big God is. 

You are my little Snugglebear and I love you deeply.

A Note From Mom: Judah Is A Three Year Old

That face... that smile gets this little boy out of a lot! Judah continues to amaze me with his tenderness and consideration. He offered to give me a massage the other day and then proceeded to roll his cars and trucks across my back. I now get one every time I go into his room because I told him how awesome it was. Every so often he tells us things that he thinks are awesome. "Mom, that car is awesome." "That airplane is awesome, Mom." He loves to be read to. He's just beginning to engage in drawing and will now draw things specifically for me, and I love it so much.

He'll regularly go up to his room and play with his trucks or trains or tools for quite sometime and he's fascinating to watch and listen to. One day I heard him talking and had apologized for not hearing exactly what he said and he replied, "No, Mom... I just talkin' to myself." I love watching him interact with his sisters. He loves on Ruby so much, singing to her ("You Are So Beautiful To Me" is his go-to and it is amazing) and holding her hand in the car when she's upset. Him and Elly can play for hours together or just sit doing their own thing, but together... super sweet moments that I want to have in my memory forever. Lucy and him are SO much alike. Both are high energy and LOVE to have as much fun as you can possibly have together, and they do.

Judah, you are incredible. I hope that your tender heart is always able to empathize and engage with others the way it does now. I hope that you always choose to do the right thing... even if it takes you a minute to decide. I hope your love for tools and fixing things lends you great opportunities to serve others. I love you so incredibly much and feel so humbled at the thought of getting to be your mom. Happy Birthday, little Buddy!!

She's SIX!

Ooooh... my little Lucy. This last year you turned into a kid. Like a real kid that functions on your own, thinks your own thoughts, questions what you don't understand completely... a real, live kid. I love it and it also makes my heart ache as though a piece of it is slowly detaching. And that is what you're doing. You're a little piece of my heart, my soul, that is growing into it's own. It's amazing to watch.

You have an amazing sense of humor. Gosh, you make me laugh... so, SO much. Your dance moves are incredible and I hope you always have the confidence to be in the middle of a crowd and break out into a flamenco dance.

Your mind bewilders me. I hope your love for knowledge never ceases. I hope so much that someday you are a "book writer" because that's what you dream of right now. And I hope that the One who gave you that dream uses it for the good of many. You have always been this little light of mine and I hope that this dream allows you to radiate the darkness.

Never stop drawing, never stop painting, never stop creating, because you are SO creative. I love seeing the world through your eyes. 

Little Love... I adore you. I think you're one of the greatest people I've ever known. You're definitely the most energetic. Your smile makes me melt, and your laugh is contagious. I love you to the moon and back. Happy Birthday, kid!