Today is your birthday and I can't believe you're already 4! Maybe when you're older you'll remember this day, maybe not. For all the anticipation you showed this summer wondering when your big day would come, you were remarkably nonchalant. Is that how big boys are? I played the piano in Primary today and swore you blushed when the group sang to you. After church we ate spaghetti for dinner (by your request) and celebrated with ice cream and a fire truck cake modeled after one you and Emma found together in a book.
I think this picture sums up your place in our family perfectly: Look how thrilled James is for you to blow out your candles! Look how happy he is! Everyone was so excited to help you have a great day. James, Emma and Elise hovered over frosting bowls to help with the cake. Your sisters wanted to wrap the presents. We called Kyle to come out his room before the candles burned low. He didn't come right away, not until half the cake had been served. Yet when Kyle did emerge he was so sad to have missed it that he set up candles in the crumbled cake and asked you to blow them out again.
On your blessing day, Samuel, your father spoke of all the peace you brought to our home from the very beginning. (Psst. We miss it some days. We'll take it back anytime!) He also blessed that you would bring us closer the more you taught us about love.
I truly believe this. I feel it in Emma's extreme patience with you (often greater than mine -- but you're teaching me!) I see it in the way you can cheer Kyle up after a rough day at school. I hear it when Elise creates a 10-minute narrative to relate a simple, but funny, sentence you said. I smile when James calls you his best friend brother.
Samuel, when you see yourself I hope you see how much you are loved. Making you happy makes us happy.
You were so excited about your monkey hat that you ran to the mirror. The abacus and Curious George books and shirt were hits, too. Thank you, Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Jim!
Minutes after you were born we gazed intently at each other. You had so much to tell me. Tonight I stopped you from running through the kitchen long enough for me to crouch down, look in your eyes and give you a birthday hug. Do you remember?
"I love you so much, Samuel," I said.
We all do, you little monkey.
Photo: Mom, 35; Samuel, day of birth; Kyle, 11; Emma, 9; Elise, 5; James, 3 -- just too much for him!
Love,
Mom
3 comments:
Happy birthday, Samuel! What a great kid for a family to have as their own!
Hi friend!
That picture of you in the bed with all your little kids around you is to die for! You are so beautiful!
Okay...red frosting....haven't made it a lot but I usually just use the wiltons cake coloring stuff and yes, I use a lot. Same with black.
I always make my cake ahead of time and freeze it. That seems to be the only way I know to frost those cakes once you have cut the edges. However....it still isn't great and if you could see my cake up close you would see all sorts of crumbs in the white frosting of buzz light year.
So, I am no master! Also I just use the recipe off a name brand poweder sugar. It has salt in it! But I like it.
I am really not the one to tell you all this. My cakes are so amatuer. They really are. But those are a few answers.
I love when you comment on my blog. I don't ever feel weird. I am glad somebody is reading it becasue sometimes I wonder!
Luv reconnecting so much!!!! Love you blog! You must turn it into a book, right?
Susan
Jennifer.. thank you for the heart-felt comment you left on my blog. I just want to tell you that I know how difficult it is to forgive. It's something that is and has been very hard for me. I also love that poem because I know how the poor dragon feels, unfortunately. My only thought is that I know that the atonement covers this kind of pain too.. and that you can ask the Lord to carry the hurt and the grudges and to heal your heart... I know that He can.
No need to publish this comment. I just wanted you to know that I read and understood...
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