The house has been quiet this week the boys and Lindsay are in Ohio for the week. I will be joining the chaos that is 4 adults and 4 kids under the age of four, under one roof, later today. While it has been quiet I had some time to reflect on my family, my blessings.
To my boys:
Andrew,
You are my oldest son and I love you. You have a heart of gold. You care about others and love to help. Your are the definition of mommy’s little helper. Honestly, sometimes it would be easier just to get the job done but it would break your heart if you couldn’t help. So if it takes longer or I have to go back and fix whatever it is you helped with it’s worth it to let you bless others by helping. Whether its helping put pickles in the shopping cart, getting the mail, or putting away my dirty socks you always want to help. You will even pick up all your toys every night. Your reward, a vitamin. I guess one day you will learn a vitamin is a pretty lousy reward but helping others is always rewarding. I pray that you will always have the heart of a servant.
You also care for others. You remember when people have ouchies, and even dogs (Jasmine) and are sure to remind everyone. Just last week uncle Troy was leaving grandmom’s house and you went inside and started wheeling a tv stand out the door yelling for Uncle Troy to remember his tv stand. You remembered that he had brought the stand with him when he got to grandmom’s house and you didn’t want him to forget it. You show genuine concern for others. (Uncle Troy was actually returning it to grandmom but you were concerned for him none the less.)
Andrew you are a very polite little man. Some of your favorite words are please and thank you. You always remember to say thank you for a special treat. Sometimes we have to remind you but many times you will thank someone without prompting. One day grandmom brought you and Joshua a water table for the porch. While unloading the table you saw some Oreos in grandmom’s van. You asked for some and she let you have a couple. Sometime later when she was leaving you thanked her for the cookies. You kind of forgot to say thanks for the water table but you knew that the cookies were a special treat and you were thankful for them!
I pray that you will always want to serve others, you can change so many lives with the gifts God has given you. I love you Andrew.
Love,
Daddy
Joshua,
You are one crazy kid and I love you for that. You have an adventurous spirit. You don’t wait for help you just try anything. The other day we were playing hide and seek. Usually you are with me either hiding from or seeking Andrew. Well this time when I started counting you took off straight to the living room and hid between two large floor pillows that were stacked between the wall and couch. Thankfully we watched you go hid otherwise we probably wouldn’t have found you. You are the climber, the daredevil, the miscevious one. You have no fear (except for the vacuum). You will just walk into the pool without worrying if you have floaties on. You will climb up the play ground, get to the slide, turn around and just go. Sometimes you miss the actual slide and fall but you just do it. While you may have a slender frame you are a tough guy. You can take abuse from your older brother and not be phased. Of course you can dish it out as well. Along with being tough you can be a downright stinker. You always are getting into something, maybe its just your curiosity.
Even though you can be a stinker you are still the sweetest boy I know. Mommy calls you her “sweetness boy” and I agree 100%. Your smile can melt even the coldest of hearts. When I get home from work all you want to do is to have me hold you. You run up to me and wrap your arms around my legs and give them a big hug and won’t let go until I pick you up.
Like your older brother you are becoming quite the helper. You are now helping put away my stinky socks and picking up the toys, and you don’t even like your vitamins. I pray that you will continue to develop a servant’s heart. I pray that you will never lose your sense of adventure. It drives your mommy and I crazy now but I am thankful for your adventurous spirit. God can use you to do things that others will be too afraid to even try. I love you Joshua.
Love,
Daddy
Zachary,
I haven’t met you yet but I love you the same. I don’t know if you will be like Andrew or Joshua or completely different. I do know that God made you to be Zachary and I look forward to finding out what that means. You have already brought joy to our family and we haven’t even met you. I love you Zachary.
Love,
Daddy
To my wife:
Lindsay,
I love you so much. Thank you for doing the toughest job ever. Staying home with our kids is a job that is not rewarding most days. The kids never say, “great job mommy” and the pay is even worse. But the days you spend with them, teaching them how to treat others and love God will pay great dividends in the future. While we sacrifice to have you stay home the sacrifice is worth it. I know I don’t say thank you enough. Spending 12 hours a day raising our boys is not an easy job but I am indeed extremely grateful you are up to the challenge. As much as our boys are a blessing to us you are an even greater blessing to me. I love you Lindsay.
Love,
Your Husband
