To Beau, On Your 1st Birthday

Dear Beau-

You are one today. That is UNbelieveable for me to realize! It seems this last year has flown by so incredibly fast. Right now as I write this, you are napping on Mommy's bed (we cuddled for awhile) and I'm by the window, just watching you. Beau, you are so precious. You're a very affectionate little boy, and for that I am so thankful. In that way, you are very much like your Daddy. You run to give him kisses the second he walks through the door and love kissing on your Gran and Pops as soon as you see them. I'm not sure if this was something we fostered in you, but I pray its a quality you keep. You are also a very curious child. You want to know how things work and need to test them out repeatedly. The simplest contraptions can keep you busy for half an hour, but you strive to figure out how things work. I think that's so neat. You're a small little boy! You weigh somewhere around 18 lbs, but the swim trunks we bought you (that actually fit!) are for babies 0-3 months! I've spent much of this year worrying about your size, worrying if something was wrong, worrying about you being smaller than other children your age, but I've come to see you're a perfectly happy, healthy little boy; you're just small. I've actually come to hope that you see that although you are small, you have the ability to do very big things. I've seen that sometimes life presents us with what seems to be very small, insignificant objects, people, circumstances, and that from those can come monumental things. You, my son, have helped me see this. You're a very strong little boy! You push and pull things your dad and I think you won't be able to, so this has made us have to watch you VERY carefully! You're a sharer. You know what we mean when we tell you to "share" and you willingly give Huck bites of your food all the time. You like making those puppies happy and they sure like how you do it! You don't say many real words, but you've made your own signs for many things, so you still communicate with us. We're hoping to get you talking more, but are glad you still find ways to tell us what's going on inside that sweet head of yours! You're reaching the age where you're starting to challenge us. You understand much of what we say to you, but sometimes decide you want it your way instead. You can throw fits and you sometimes even bite to be mean, so your dad and I are having to start to discipline you when you do those things. It hurts us to make you sad momentarily, but we know (and eventually you will too) it's because we love you. You're a character! You love to growl and scrunch up your nose. It's hilarious! You've kept us in stitches with all the funny faces you make. You enjoy your Bible class. I'm so grateful for this. You also enjoy hearing hymns sung to you. Your dad and I attempted to instill this in you from day one, by singing to you as you started to fall asleep. Now we just sing throughout the day with you. You know to pat your Bible, although we've had a few mishaps with that (namely, pages being torn from yours and Daddy's Bibles). Our prayer is that you will have a heart for the Lord, that you will desire to be His son, and that you will accept His amazing gift of relationship and grace!

Beau, you have changed my world. I don't think I could've ever prepared myself for what this last year would hold for me. I have laughed, cried, been so happy, been so frustrated, kissed, and hugged more in this last year than probably the previous 25 combined. You've shown me what it means to unconditionally love from a mother's perspective, and from that I have learned much about myself. You've convicted me in many ways, and you continue to shape ME as a mother and as a child of God.

I'm so excited to see what this next year holds for you, but for now, please know how much you are loved. Happy FIRST Birthday sweet Beau Elias, you are Mommy's treasure!

Love,

Mom