November 10, 2009

You are eight.

Where has the time gone? I remember bringing you home from the hospital and sitting next to you thinking "Now what?". You have kept me on my toes from day one. Teaching me about patience (yes, I'm still working on it), showing me love like I've never known before.

You are wise beyond your years in the things that you do and say. This morning I urged you to eat some bananas to help settle your stomach and you said "I will, Mom. And you don't ever have to say "I swear" to me because I know your word is true." I now understand that you do listen to me when I repeat again and again how your word is the only thing you have in this world. I should know this because you seem to remember, EVERYTHING and you remind me if I forget something or another.

When I snuggle with you at night, I whisper "Mommy loves you", and I know you'll answer "Reecie loves you, too" - you can't imagine how that warms my heart, you've been saying the same thing since you began to talk.

You are such the planner, last year you had your next three Halloween costumes picked out and this morning you asked what next year's party theme would be! And you have decided on 5 different careers and in which order you will be fulfilling those roles. You crack me up.

Everytime we get in the car I know I'll soon hear "Mom, what if..." and you start inventing a story that would never in a million years happen, but you want to fill the silence. I have to be honest, I sometimes don't hear the entire story but I know you'll finish with "That would be cool, right, Mom?" to which I always reply "Totally". You sometimes tell me your friends tell you that you talk too much but I reassure you that I don't think you do (ok... there are moments) and that I used to talk a lot when I was little (and maybe even now).

You are tender hearted and sweet. You are growing to be such a great gentleman, opening the door for ladies and helping me with grocery sacks without being asked.

You never want to hurt feelings and are so saddened when it happens accidentally. You're a great big brother, helping Ryan with whatever he needs and are quick to apologize if you've been too rough with him.

When you hear comments about how you and Ryan have blonde hair and look a lot like Daddy, you remind me that you have my eyes and that you are much more like me than Daddy in an effort to spare my feelings.

Reece, I want you to know that it doesn't matter to me whether you look like Daddy or me, because when I look at you, I don't see either one of us. I see a lot of Jesus' characteristics. You love God and Jesus so much. You know right from wrong and you try your bestest to follow His commands. When you disobey you ask to be disciplined because you know there are consequences to each one of our actions. When we pray at night I can hear your relationship with God growing stronger and that couldn't make me any happier.

You have the heart of a hero, Reece. You have something so special inside you that isn't part of some genetic formation of your little self but a true gift from God. God has blessed you, sweet boy and in turn has blessed me.

Happy birthday, Reecie
Mommy loves you.
xoxo