5 Years Old!

5 years old!

(4 year blue chair picture ???)

3 years old

2 1/2 years old

2 years old

18 months old

1 year old

11 months old

10 months old

9 months old

 8 months old

7 months old

6 months old

5 months old

4 months old

3 months old

2 months old

1 month old

2 weeks old

Dear Josiah,

You are 5 years old! Just doesn’t seem possible that you’re such a big boy, with such long legs and big muscles, but there you have it!

You have a great sense of humor. I love how you laugh gleefully at jokes and come up with your own funny versions. You can be quite a teaser, and you have a beautiful, joyful smile.

I love to see your tender, compassionate heart, especially with your baby brother. If Calvin is fussy or bored, you are so patient and kind to bring him toys, smile or make faces at him, and generally anything that will cheer him up. You’re very good at it too!

You are a sweet and thoughtful friend to others as well. Our first year at our homeschool co-op has brought more than one comment about your kind heart among the other children in your class. You are sometimes shy in unfamiliar settings, but I am so happy to see you expressing care and thoughtfulness toward others. God has answered my prayers to bring you boys some very special friends, and I pray that you’ll have many years growing as “iron sharpening iron” together with them.

You love to run and play and imagine. You’re a wonderful super hero! And you are always sure to check with me, “Do you need any saving?” I feel so secure with you around!

Favorite quote of the year: "It's okay, Mom, you don't have to clean up when there's big kids like us around. And strong ones." Love you for that, my son!

You are learning and growing in school as well. This year we’ve been doing “workbook” time together, learning to read. You are doing so great! I am proud of you for persevering and using that good mind that God gave you.

I love to see the thoughtfulness that you give to our Bible stories and memory verses. You are tender to correction and quick to apologize and make things right with your brothers. You have a merciful and gentle spirit that encourage me as they reflect the mercy of God. I pray that you continue to grow in understanding the truth of God’s Word, seeking the know and walk close to Jesus, and finding your greatest hope in Him.  

My special verse for you is this:

For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth, that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.—2 Chronicles 16:9a

I have been studying and reflecting on the death of Jesus lately, and one of the deep implications is that because Jesus willingly gave Himself to bear the wrath of God in our place, we have a way to come to God, to find favor and forgiveness with Him, and to belong to Him always. That is our greatest prayer and desire for you. May you have a heart that is completely His and follow joyfully in the path He puts before you.

You are a blessing and joy to us, and we love you to pieces!

Momma

Josiah (3.31.19) 5 years old

1.      What is your favorite color? green

2.      What is your favorite toy? Bouncy the Bunny

3.      What is your favorite fruit? apple

4.      What is your favorite video to watch? Wild Kratts

5.      What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Hot dogs

6.      What is your favorite thing to wear? pajamas

7.      What is your favorite game? tag

8.      What is your favorite snack? crackers

9.      What is your favorite animal? cheetah

10.   What is your favorite song? God Is So Good

11.   What is your favorite verse? Psalm 23

12.   What is your favorite book? Clifford

13.   Who is your best friend? Benaiah

14.   What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play tag

15.   What is your favorite drink? Apple juice

16.   What do you like to sleep with at night? My stuffies (bear and bunny)

17.   What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon rolls

18.   What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza

19.   What do you want to be when you grow up? An artist or detective

20.   What was one of your favorite things that you did this year? Going to Grammy and Grandad’s house

21.   Where is your favorite place to go? To Iowa

9 Months Old!

9 months old!

8 months old

7 months old

6 months old

 
 5 months old

4 months old

3 months old

 2 months old

1 month old

2 weeks old

Dear Calvin,

You have officially spent more time in our arms than in percolating in my belly, big man! Another month has gone by in a blink (well, except for the agonizing week or two of influenza that all you boys muddled through).

In news of late:

- You have increasing quantities of cute hair that sticks straight up on top now! Still mostly bald, but it's nice to see that at least the top of your head is beginning to get a little insulation.

- You are increasingly comfortable sitting up, rolling, hanging out on your tummy, and bouncing around in the doorway jumperoo. When Momma hurt my back this month, we spent large quantities of time just playing on the floor (because I couldn't pick you up), which was probably good for your oblique muscle development and such. We may have backslid slightly during the influenza stretch, since you pretty much just wanted to be held constantly. We'll call you back to a good middle range now...

- Our nights, of course, got all out of whack with the flu. I just fed you whenever you woke up, tried to keep ibuprofen in you (you HATED taking medicine, and it was a blessed mercy to find concentrated ibuprofen drops that only required 1.875 mL every 8 hours, compared to trying to get 5mL of acetaminophen down you every 4 hours... which you frequently gagged on and puked back up). Thank You, Jesus, for being healthy and well again! You're back to once-a-night feedings, but this is the big milestone. Barring weakness of character (Mom's, that is), we will graduate from night-time feedings now!

- You're tucking away substantial portions of baby food. Carrots, squash, pears, and peas all go down pretty well. Green beans, not a fave.

- You've got a mouthful of teeth! The arrival of these coincided unfortunately with the flu, so you just suffered through a lot those past weeks, but now you have at least 2 teeth on top and 2 on the bottom, and I think there are more in or on the way, but your lips were so slimy with drool that I couldn't pull them back to examine your gums at the last attempt. [Late breaking news: Top front tooth popped through this week too.]

- The 12 month clothes are none too big. You've outgrown all your "baby" sleepsacks and now have to use the toddler-sized ones.


This morning I was teaching through John 18. One by one, the story reveals the weakness and brokenness of every human heart. Judas betrays. Peter denies. The high priest accuses. Pilate bargains. The crowd exchanges. Only Jesus stands alone, perfect, courageous, righteous, gentle. The people chose to liberate a criminal and leave Jesus in the place of the guilty. And Jesus, willingly following the Father's plan, goes to death in our place.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:10-11)

What a gift, that Jesus would take our place, drinking the cup of God's wrath that we deserve. I pray, little son, that you will see Him as the one perfect payment for your sin and receive, in Him, pardon, life, and joy forever.

I love you, Calvin,
Momma

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