A Note From Mom: Judah is FIVE!

Buddy, you are such a gift to me. Getting to see the world through your eyes, and hear your perspective of how everything works is just an amazing gift for me. The world you live in is so full of hope and life and I love getting lost in it with you. 

You have such an incredible imagination and it's coming through in your stories and your drawings. I love watching you as you're speaking about a superhero, or a pirate, or telling me what kind of creature you are. Those little dimples come out and your eyes twinkle and your smile just about kills me. 

You have such a tender heart and it humbles me every time you share pieces of it with me. You are so gracious to me, so quick to forgive, and your love is such a humbling gift. I pray that these things will only grow deeper within you and that you're able to love others in such a way that it changes them, the way you continuously change me!

Buddy, I love you so much and I'm so incredibly grateful for you. You are my most favorite boy in the Universe!!!! 

A Note From Mom: Lucy is an Eight Year Old!!!

Oh, my little Lucy!! You're eight years old. EIGHT YEARS OLD. It doesn't seem possible since I remember vividly what it felt like holding you in my arms for the first time, and that seems like that JUST happened. Eight years of your love has been incredible. 

I needed you so much and I still do. You remind me to be free. You remind me to just enjoy things. You give me a picture of myself that sometimes hurts so much to see and sometimes makes me so proud I could bust. You are an incredible gift that seems to just keep getting better and better, which doesn't seem possible as I remember the indescribable joy that I felt as you grew in my belly and dreamed about you. You're more amazing than I had dreamed you'd be. 

You have such an incredible mind that soaks in every single little thing and the creativity that flows from that is unbelievable. I love reading your stories, seeing your drawings, hearing your songs... I just love watching you live life.

Babe, I hope you keep singing as loud as you can. I hope you keep reading... books, newspapers, magazine recipe cards, letters... just keep soaking in all that information. Keep reading your Bible and memorizing those words that poured from the hearts and minds of those who lived before us. The One who loved them deeply and gave them those words, loves you so very deeply and will use those words to be a comfort to you as time goes on. You will find your joy and your hope in those words. Let them root in your heart and allow them to transform you. 

I pray you have lots and lots of opportunities to feel the deep love of the One who loves you most. Sometimes it will be through great joys, and sometimes it will be through crippling pain. He is faithful through them both and He is greater than them both.

Little Lucy, I love you. I love you to the moon, around the mountains, through the deepest oceans, and back again. 

A Note From Mom: Ruby Jane is TWO!

Ruby Jane, my littlest Love... you are indeed a precious little gem! Right now you can bring me to tears by your crazy antics or by your incredible joy. You are almost always on a mission and your communication through your own language and signs and acting things out makes us all smile and laugh. We needed you. As the chaos of this season of life has only become more intense, you bring us all together... whether we're chasing after you because of your naughtiness or we're hysterically laughing at the crazy little face that you make as we countdown to you running to give us a hug. 

You are loved so much and you are a comfort to so many as you just sit contently on the laps of hurting people. Uncle Jimmy recently told me that he's never regretted not having kids until you came along. You come in like a rolling thunder (because seriously, you're crazy right now!) and bring with you a peace that's unexplainable.

I pray that your radiant smile will always bring joy to those who need it. I pray that the Healer of all souls will continue to use your presence to bring comfort and peace to those hurting.

You are truly such a gift to me, little Babe, and I love you deeply.

A Note From Mom: Elly Is Six!

Sweet little Elly... I cannot believe that you are six. Six years of knowing one of the kindest souls on Earth.
Your thoughtfulness towards others is almost unreal. And it pales in comparison for the love and understanding that you have for the One who knit you this way. You are a treasure... a gift to all of us.
I pray that your heart stays soft towards people; that you would make deep, soul connections with others that allow you to love them in ways that others can't. Even more I pray that you remain firmly planted in knowing Who created you and what you were created for and how very, very loved you are.
Happy Birthday, Babe! You are so loved, little Elly Belly!

A Note From Mom: Little Buddy turns FOUR!

I'm not sure exactly how this happened so quickly. I can remember just him and I hanging out together in our comfy hospital bed and it seems as though that was last week. And now he's four. And four sounds so old to me. Four is the age that I've always thought I would want to remain, if I was ever given the opportunity. It's such a magical age; you can talk and interact with people, but still not much is required of you, and you get to play basically all day. And you're still pretty cute, so people are still charmed by you.

 And Judah is so charming. He has a tender heart and such a sensitive soul and those dimples...
He's so incredibly ornery, but so insanely sweet. Sometimes I just watch him and listen to him play and create fascinating little worlds where his monster trucks interact and converse with his construction trucks or he turns himself into an eagle, or a chameleon, or a jaguar. He has an incredible imagination.

Judah means to "thank" or "praise" and he consistently exercises this in his day to day interactions, a lot of times without any nudging or reminding. He's so gentle and tender with babies, and those younger than him {usually!} and I can't wait to see that play out in his life as he ages. I hope his tenderness remains untouched by this world and develops into a courageous strength. I hope that the empathy he already exercises is only strengthened with time, and that a deep love for people will dwell in him and through him.

Buddy, you are such a gift to me! I'm so very thankful and humbled by your love for me. Happy Birthday, little man; I love you!!