Tuesday, September 20, 2016

September Baby

So he's not a baby anymore.

But one fine September evening, he arrived as a tiny bundle. He was my smallest baby by far, and the baby of our family he will always be. He has never wanted the position of last-born, but he sure enjoys the benefits.  :)

Just like the babies that came before him, the Lord enlarged my heart's capacity of love still more. The fierceness of my love for each my kids has been one of my life's greatest wonders.

Jacob is my fun- and people-loving guy who must find solitude to recharge. I'm not sure if that makes him extroverted or introverted, but it does prove that he comes from two very different parents! He loves to talk and he still tells us all of his secrets! He practically believes he is invincible, loves sports and activity, and appreciates nature. He is affectionate and LOVES his family and friends. He is a collector of rocks, shells, plants, and good walking sticks and bamboo spears. Although there are few situations in which he lacks confidence, there is one setting that produces anxiety and discomfort. I can relate with him in it, but unlike me as a child, he is a fighter. He resigns himself to bear the difficulty quietly, and I am confident he will be an exceptional man some day because of this strength.

Most remarkable to me, however, are his tender thoughts about the Lord and His appreciation for His goodness in his life. Even tonight, as he rode in the back seat of the car with the window down, he stuck his arm out as far as he could reach and set his chin on the window sill as he looked out. Then he turned to me and exclaimed with enthusiasm, "I'm just so glad God made all this stuff!" More than my other kids, he feels life with all his senses and acknowledges the One who created all that he takes in.

Tonight, we searched for a lost Lego guy - a really important Lego guy - to no avail. At bedtime, I reminded him that God knows all things and that He invites us to tell Him our concerns. Peace immediately replaced his worry as he pulled the covers high because he has noted many times before that God is good and can be trusted.

Another wonder of life is how a mother can learn so much from her children. Simple, child-like faith is no small thing.


Jacob's birthday is early in the month, which means it comes at a pretty busy time with the start of school and sport season. I knew it was important to him to have some sort of celebration with his buddies, but I wasn't sure I had the time to pull it off. Someone from our church, however, gave me six tickets to Legoland. This was perfect. (Yes, this was a school day for some, but homeschool moms are flexible and know that the best time to go to an amusement park is when everyone else is in school! Also, they are just really sweet moms to allow it!) The boys came over for an early lunch and cake, then it was five boys and me for the day. I literally ran with them from one ride to the next! A few people looked at me and made sympathetic comments like, "Oh, bless you..." If only they knew just how much I loved it. Boys are so much fun! They did things like dab for the camera on the way down the roller coaster, then they laughed at my expression on the picture: "Look! We're all dabbing and you're holding onto the bar with your eyes big!" Also, I am no longer able to beat my boys' score with the laser guns.

Jack's actual birth date was spent with just us. It had to be a simple kind of day, but whenever I asked him what he wanted to do next, his reply always expressed concern of everyone else.

Double digits 


We had breakfast and opened presents outside, then later in the day we took a bike ride into the next beach town.

Me and my "baby"


Being silly




Because he loves the beach so much, we just had to make a stop on our way home.


Skipping a rock just right...





Then - oh my! - we got to enjoy a live show after dinner! Olivia and Andrew learned the Napoleon Dynamite dance and this was the premiere show! It is absolutely hilarious! I streamed tears of laugher the first time I saw them practice! (There's a mild obsession with Napoleon quotes and impersonations around here. See last year's pictures HERE.)


~

Well, I am ending this post abruptly. It has taken me multiple chunks of time to get this far, but that's pretty much the pattern of life during this season. Back to work again...


~Katherine

2 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Jacob! I am catching up with all your posts. I always love your writing and the pictures are so fun. I told Caleb the other day that I wish I could come over and hang out and just visit with you!

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear from you...

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...