UpRooted: ONE!

Today is Labor Day, and I am sitting here remembering last year at this time, how we had just welcomed you into the world, and you were amazing, and you were a gift. You were gifted to us exactly a year to the day after miscarrying your older sibling. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but he is always working together all things for good...

This past year has been full. It has been full of love as we have been overcome by the joy you add to our family. It has been full of adventure and renewed friendship as we were finally able to return to Honduras as a family of 6 after 10 years away. It has been full of sorrow as we walked beside a good friend as she struggled with breast cancer, and as we had to ultimately say good-bye to her (even though we wanted to hang on more than anything). I struggle in my limited vision with understanding God's goodness in things like the seemingly premature death of a dear friend whose children are young and left motherless. And yet the Lord is working together all things for good... and you are one of the many tangible reminders of that to us.

You are so full of life! You were walking by 9 months, climbing up the sofa and the window-pane by 11 months, and now you are running away with glee anytime you get your hands on a forbidden electronic device. You are a lad of great imagination - a true opportunist. You are an idea generator, much like your oldest sister, and you keep us on our toes chasing you around (but we are 10 years older than when she was at your stage, and I fear a bit slower). But now there are three others on our team, and together we are by the grace of God keeping you alive. :)

You love to laugh and "tell jokes." The other day I came to get you after your nap, and as I walked toward your crib, you started laughing and dancing your body around. When I got close to you you took the pacifier out of your mouth, stuck it in my mouth, and giggled with glee. I was so surprised by it I couldn't stop laughing, too. It was almost as if you had planned the whole thing out.

You love playing fetch, and you have recently started trying to throw the ball back to us instead of simply running it back. You also have started picking our hands up off the ground and opening them to place an object inside.

You love to eat. Pancakes and kefir are two of your favorites, but you also love raw veggies from the garden and grapes and berries and almost everything we give you.

You love your siblings and friends and excitement, though you are starting to feel the separation anxiety pains. We will have to see how things go at school on Mondays since you will be there much longer than last year!

Your eyes are different colors - with the left one being more hazel, and the right one more blue. We keep wondering if they will continue to change, or they will stay that way forever. You are strong, and confident, and adventurous, and a joy. We love you, happy birthday!!