A Letter to Noah - 2
Noah, you turned two several days ago. I've been contemplating what to write you for your yearly letter, and there is so much that I could fill a book! This year you went from taking your first, wobbly steps to sprinting up and down halls in your new tennis shoes. You went from me having to carry you up the play equipment at the parks to confidently climbing up the slides and going down all by yourself. You went from not sleeping through the night to sleeping through the night without any problems.
You went from a baby to a boy.
And, did I mention, you're also using the toilet?
But, that's all what you did, and while it's important, it's not who you are...what peaks we've seen of your personality so far. This is what's most important, and what I hope to memorialize.
You have a real sweetness to your character, a love of others. I hope, as you grow up as a boy in America, that you don't let the world change this soft love in your heart toward others. I see this in your interactions with your sister. There are times that Jubilee bonks herself and gets downright upset, crying and carrying on. If you were not there to see what happened to Jubilee, you will turn to me and, with a concerned look on your face say, "Jubee cwying...." You're always there to volunteer a kiss or a hug to your sister if she's upset.
You're not one to often turn down the offer of a hug, or be stingy with kisses and cuddles!
But that's not to say you're a push-over. No, not by any stretch of the imagination. I vividly remember one morning this early fall, you were probably 19 months or so. I was in the bathroom and you and Jubilee were out playing in the living room. There was an altercation, I heard you scream, indignant, and then I heard Jubilee begin to wail. She ran into the bathroom, holding her cheek: "Noah bit me!"
"Yes," I responded, "but what did you do to Noah?"
"Took his toy..."
I am glad that you already seem to have a good balance of sweet love and understanding and strength to stand up for yourself, and what is right.
Currently, you are our little mimic. You say anything your sister does, particularly if it's something I'm not real crazy about. And, you copy just about anything your sister does. Although this can be somewhat frustrating, it can also be sweet and good.
We always realized that you looked up to your sister and strive to say and do the things she does, but we didn't realize the extent to which you were really soaking everything in until one morning a couple months ago. We were discussing Jubilee's memory verse at the breakfast table. Your sister was being reluctant and difficult...so YOU recited it, almost word for word. "Toose for yourselfs dis day who you wiwl sewrve ... bud as fowe me and my houwsehowd, we wiwl sewrve the Lwowrd." (Joshua 1:9)
I have begun, with great prompting by the Lord, and with an embarrassing amount of reluctance and temper by myself, to get up in the mornings to steal a quiet time before the races begin. My alarm is set for quite early because you, my son, are still an early riser. (6:30 is sleeping in for you.)
At first, I was feverishly reading my Bible and trying to cram all my prayers and contemplations in before I began to hear the squeaking of your crib as you rolled around, waking. But, then I began to realize that this might be ok. Why couldn't I finish praying with you, cuddled on my lap with your strawberry and blanket? And this is what we have been doing, at least once a week for the last month or so.
How I cherish these mornings.
And this is the thing I hope and pray the most for you. That you would seek after the Lord with all your heart. That you would be strong and courageous, not terrified, not discouraged. Because you know, with every fiber of your being, that the Lord our God goes with you everywhere you go.
I don't even have a guess as to what you will "be" when you grow up: driven? a tad lazy? "successful"?. But I know my heart's desire for you is that you drive into the Lord in all your ways, all of your days because He goes with you everywhere. He will lead you, Noah, all the days of your life.
I love you and am so proud of you, little one!
XOXOXOXOXO
Momma
You went from a baby to a boy.
And, did I mention, you're also using the toilet?
But, that's all what you did, and while it's important, it's not who you are...what peaks we've seen of your personality so far. This is what's most important, and what I hope to memorialize.
You have a real sweetness to your character, a love of others. I hope, as you grow up as a boy in America, that you don't let the world change this soft love in your heart toward others. I see this in your interactions with your sister. There are times that Jubilee bonks herself and gets downright upset, crying and carrying on. If you were not there to see what happened to Jubilee, you will turn to me and, with a concerned look on your face say, "Jubee cwying...." You're always there to volunteer a kiss or a hug to your sister if she's upset.
You're not one to often turn down the offer of a hug, or be stingy with kisses and cuddles!
But that's not to say you're a push-over. No, not by any stretch of the imagination. I vividly remember one morning this early fall, you were probably 19 months or so. I was in the bathroom and you and Jubilee were out playing in the living room. There was an altercation, I heard you scream, indignant, and then I heard Jubilee begin to wail. She ran into the bathroom, holding her cheek: "Noah bit me!"
"Yes," I responded, "but what did you do to Noah?"
"Took his toy..."
I am glad that you already seem to have a good balance of sweet love and understanding and strength to stand up for yourself, and what is right.
Currently, you are our little mimic. You say anything your sister does, particularly if it's something I'm not real crazy about. And, you copy just about anything your sister does. Although this can be somewhat frustrating, it can also be sweet and good.
We always realized that you looked up to your sister and strive to say and do the things she does, but we didn't realize the extent to which you were really soaking everything in until one morning a couple months ago. We were discussing Jubilee's memory verse at the breakfast table. Your sister was being reluctant and difficult...so YOU recited it, almost word for word. "Toose for yourselfs dis day who you wiwl sewrve ... bud as fowe me and my houwsehowd, we wiwl sewrve the Lwowrd." (Joshua 1:9)
I have begun, with great prompting by the Lord, and with an embarrassing amount of reluctance and temper by myself, to get up in the mornings to steal a quiet time before the races begin. My alarm is set for quite early because you, my son, are still an early riser. (6:30 is sleeping in for you.)
At first, I was feverishly reading my Bible and trying to cram all my prayers and contemplations in before I began to hear the squeaking of your crib as you rolled around, waking. But, then I began to realize that this might be ok. Why couldn't I finish praying with you, cuddled on my lap with your strawberry and blanket? And this is what we have been doing, at least once a week for the last month or so.
How I cherish these mornings.
And this is the thing I hope and pray the most for you. That you would seek after the Lord with all your heart. That you would be strong and courageous, not terrified, not discouraged. Because you know, with every fiber of your being, that the Lord our God goes with you everywhere you go.
I don't even have a guess as to what you will "be" when you grow up: driven? a tad lazy? "successful"?. But I know my heart's desire for you is that you drive into the Lord in all your ways, all of your days because He goes with you everywhere. He will lead you, Noah, all the days of your life.
I love you and am so proud of you, little one!
XOXOXOXOXO
Momma
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