The Walk We Walk: April 2011

. . . my dear Oma was born. This is the first year that she is not with us to celebrate. She is celebrating far better things with the Lord. But now we have another birthday to celebrate on this day. This morning Richard and Mary Beth were blessed with the birth of a beautiful baby girl!

Savannah Grace

born at 8:43am

weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 3oz

She opened both her eyes for me for a bit and she is just gorgeous! I love her dark hair! At first I didn't find her familiar looking at all, but now looking at these pictures again, I think she resembles Hunter at least a bit (and I could be way off, but I can't help but think she looks like Steve and Jo's MaryBeth too). And although Mare forbade me to take pictures of her, she was also looking very beautiful and happy.

Conratulations Rich and Mare! We pray God will give you much wisdom, strength, and guidance as you raise all three of your precious kids for Him!

To our dear Kade-o potato!
Today you are seven.
(pictures and words do not go together at all . . . just thought I'd intersperse them . . . pictures are year in review of Kade) It has been a fantastic seven years having you in our house. You bring a different character to our family than Kevin and Kylie – and it is such a special character that you have! You are in general our “calmer” child . . . but that certainly doesn’t always apply.

You are a very kind and sensitive boy. You are quick to share and give things if you see someone who doesn’t have as much as you.

Kevin is generally the recipient of your generosity. He squawks b/c you got a bigger piece or more and you often (not always) will make it even. You love to take time to do quiet things like colour, draw , and read – though you most often don’t have a lot of time to do these things. That is because Kevin needs you to play with him. He needs someone to take shots on, someone to take shots on him, someone to play catch with, someone to ride bikes with, someone to ripstick with, someone to go out to the woods with. He keeps you moving – which is good – because you also love stationary things like your GameBoy and movies. But you are a willing brother and will most often play with Kevin even if you don’t feel like it.

You also enjoy playing with Kylie – which we don’t see as often b/c of your time spent with Kev. But you love to get out the farm set or people and play with Ky which is great b/c you both have fantastic imaginations.

You are almost done your first year of school and it has been a year of much progression! You started out the year being extremely shy and hardly saying a word in class. Now I hear reports that you are the most rambunctious kid in grade 1! You enjoy school and love your teacher (even though you won’t admit to actually liking a “girl”)

You are very social and love spending time with friends. I see that when I come in to the school each week and at church as well. You are very disappointed if it doesn’t work out to have a friend over or go to a friend’s house on a Sunday. You also have a great sense of humour. You love jokes and will come home every once in a while with a good joke – which you deliver very well! You love to read and our special time is our “Cuddle Up and Read” time every night. I love taking the time to sit with you and listen (even when the night seems overly busy). Keep it up! You are definitely our easiest child when it comes to bed! (but then again, having Kevin and Kylie as your competition doesn’t make it too difficult to win that contest!!) You fall asleep rather quickly, and get out of bed easily in the morning too. That has been an especially good thing with school in the picture.
Chores are still not your favorite thing – and you are not easily motivated. If we need a quick clean up, it’s certainly not you that we call on! Straightening the shoes on the mat by the door has been your job for quite some time, and it is still a big ordeal some nights – though it probably could be done in less than 30 seconds . . . but what if there is a toy on the mat?!!! . . .or music playing in the next room?!!!
It is not too hard to distract you from doing a job . . . which is why cleaning up a room would take you forever – you’d have to play with each toy before you put it away, and page through each book, and then you’d totally forget what the original mission was and walk out of the room. But you are not completely useless . . . you just need to focus . . .and you CAN do it!!
You are a great kid to tease and Daddy takes full advantage of it! You are a good sport about it all! You are a great kid Kade and it has been a delight having you in our family. You are the boy who will out of nowhere say, “You’re the best mom in the whole world!” or “I love you Mom” (and to Daddy too) That is SO special Kade.

Thank you for those comments sprinkled throughout my week. Thanks for requiring hugs and kisses before you go to sleep (I won’t tell!)

Thanks for being such an easy and pleasurable kid to raise. We are so grateful for that! We hope and pray that you will continue to be a blessing to us all. We pray that you will continue to grow in the Lord. Keep reading books and keep reading the greatest book of all! It will help you learn about who God is and the many things He has done for you. It will make you love the LORD more each and every day. And that is our greatest desire for you Kade.

We love you to pieces and hope you have a fantastic day.

You were pretty excited about its arrival and although we could have slept in a little today b/c there was no bus, I heard you creep into our room bright and early. You were good and chipper already. You have been lamenting the fact lately that your golden birthday will never come! (Kylie’s is just weeks away and Kevin has already had his). We told you that it would be here before you know it! I know it will be here before I know it!