11 Years Old!

11 years old!

 

10 years old

(and another graduate from the Blue Chair Club)

 

9 years old

 

8 years old

 

 7 years old

 

6 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,

Happy, happy birthday! Celebrating eleven years of your life is a pleasure, and you are a joy in our home! 

As we near the end of your 5th grade year, I see much growth in you. You're reading and assimilating lots of history knowledge, gaining much confidence in the more complex processes of your math, finding the words flow quite easily in writing, and enjoying lots of creative expression in art. We have been going through the same Grammar & Composition book that I used in middle school, which gives me a combination of nostalgia and satisfaction. Your workload took a major step up this year, and I'm really proud and thankful for how you have risen to the challenge, even though it makes for some long days of study.

It's been fun to watch you grow in interest in basketball, upgrade to a newer, bigger mountain bike, and generally eat your body weight at supper. You are big enough to wrangle with Victor, and you have an encyclopedia of animal knowledge packed away in your mind. 

Even though you're super physical and active, I also love to see you curled up on the couch with a Redwall book, a Tintin comic, or some volume of animal information. (And you are not impressed by animal books that start off with "50 million years ago, this creature evolved from...") Sometimes it's a whole cluster of you kids crowding around a Garfield book or car encyclopedia.

You began taking piano lessons last summer and played in two recitals, and this year you are also continuing in children's choir at church. You love to plunk around and improvise with music, and your piano teacher has told me she thinks you have a bit of a musical gift. I hope you'll continue to develop and grow those artistic skills for years ahead.

I see you being a good friend to others, enjoying lots of activities and imaginative games. It's also been fun to see some growing interest in board games, since Victor is always thrilled to have someone willing to take on a game of Risk or Tenpenny Parks or Cover Your Assets with him. You're quick to climb trees, dig in the dirt, and generally explore all the created world around you.

I also love to see how you are gaining in leadership skills. When you are the biggest kid at home, you are very kind and patient with your younger siblings. You are a willing helper, holding doors, hauling potting soil, vacuuming, and helping Jemima tidy her room.

I love your big belly laugh, your twinkling eyes, and your ready wit. You are an enthusiastic sharer of riddles and puns, and you always enjoy a good story. You also have a curious and active mind, ready to explore and investigate.

You are bearing fruit in your heart as well, beginning your day with time in the Bible and praying for friends that you think may still need to put their faith in Jesus. May the Lord continue to grow in you a relationship of abiding and trust in God and love for others.

This spring I've been studying the first half of Romans, and the last few weeks have given me such an encouraging reminder of one great fruit of the gospel in our lives: freedom from sin's slavery. Our memory verses last week were these:

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:22-23).

What an exchange, to go from the slave of sin ... that leads to death and condemnation, to become slaves of "righteousness leading to sanctification" (Romans 6:19). We have a new power at work in our hearts, giving us growth (sometimes slow!) in reflecting Jesus. We have a new desire in our lives, to love God and His ways. And we have a new destination, eternal life and joy in God's own presence. Nothing could outweigh those amazing gifts, bought for us by Jesus' death in our place!

I pray that you grow more and more aware of God's nearness, His Spirit, and the certainty of His promises. He is the one we were always made to belong to!

I love you so much and I'm so thankful for the young man you're growing into!

Mom

13 Years Old!

13 years old!

 

12 years old

11 years old

For nostalgia's sake...

 

10 years old

 9 years old

8 years old

 7 years old

 6 years old

5 years old

4 years old

3 years old

2 years old

18 months

One year old

11 months

10 months

9 months

 
8 months

7 months

6 months

5 months old

4 months old

3 months old

2 months old

1 month old

2 weeks old

 Dear Victor,

Happy birthday, teenager! Having already surpassed me in height (and Dad in shoe size), there is no question that you are growing up. And we are so pleased and thankful to see the ways that God is shaping you to be a delightful young man.

You've continued developing skills through your piano lessons, and Dad regularly comments on how enjoyable it is to hear you play. 

School has taken a big jump up in intensity this year, but you are faithfully digging away, and even though you still really love sleeping in on weekends, you also love chasing down stories, investigating deeper details, and reading a wide variety of genres. When we asked yesterday something you'd like to do in the year ahead, you said maybe learn a language!

When you have free time, especially with buddies, you are up for games of all kinds. Football, basketball, playing catch (now you have a baseball glove :) ), board games, card games, mind games... You, Dad, and Josiah got up at 6am on New Year's Day to start a 4.5-hour game of Risk! 

You are also generous with your spare time to love on your little sister and brothers. You are very patient and gentle with Jemima, and you've begun doing some babysitting for the crew on occasion so Dad and I can go out. You are responsible, conscientious, and considerate. We are very thankful for your dependable character.

We are also so thankful for your good friends, and as you grow we are also glad for opportunities to see you expressing your convictions. Sometimes it means challenging some remarks that were not made thoughtfully or wanting to look at the Bible with a friend. Strength of heart, even when it is unpopular, is something we pray will continue to grow as you gain more and more independence. 

At the same time, I am grateful for your openness to input. When things go wonky or decisions lack wisdom, you are receptive and humble to accept correction.

You are also taking on more responsibility in various areas. You and a buddy are starting to lead the kids in our small group with some small Bible lessons and other planned activities. It is so cool to see you guys invest your creativity and thoughtfulness in that.

You are a hard worker--not just with school but also with the little Katterson Kitchen business we have. You also show industry to make snacks for school or to share at youth group. You love tackling a project, or exploring creative ideas with cousins or friends. (This includes a recent endeavor to make a 5-star stuffed crust double-decker pizza and "Reese's Peanut Butter Oreos.")

I could go on, but I'll close with one last attribute that I appreciate about you. You are quick to express thanks, gracious when things don't work out quite as hoped, and a good encourager of others. Many times I have been blessed when you ask what's for supper and then respond, "YES!!!"

As you grow, gain responsibility, and explore new horizons, I pray that the Lord will always keep you anchored to the foundation. As our Comp 2 class has been memorizing together, 2 Timothy 2 charges:

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 

There is no greater legacy to receive or to pass on than the gift of the gospel, granted to us in Christ, and guaranteed to endure until the end, when Christ is revealed in all His glory. May you continue to grow in that grace and stand on that Word.

I love you!

Mom