To My Almost 11 Year Old

 Owen, tomorrow you will be eleven years old and I just can't get over how glad I am that you were born. It is such a fun ride, watching you grow and change and become who you are.

You bring so much laughter into our house. You have a quiet and quick wit that only those who know you best are aware of. You come up with the weirdest names for Lucy. You still check stats and recaps of the biggest games in sports every morning. You love Dude Perfect, fishing, and playing football with your friends.

You are crazy talented but so chill about it. During the All Star season this summer, you were clutch at the plate, even batting ten for ten in one of the tournaments. Then after your team fought through district, region, and state, finally winning the entire Braves Country 10u League Championship, you walked off the field and promptly lost your championship ring. (Don't worry, I found it.) In fact, you are famous for losing your rings and trophies, and it's one of the things I love about you. You just don't care that much about the awards; you live for the game itself.

You are not just an amazing athlete and at times a crazy and energetic kid, but you are also a deep thinker and ask big questions. (Don't be afraid of those questions, Bud. Seek truth and you will find it.) You have a strong conscience and I never have to wonder if you are telling the truth. I'm so grateful for that. You've started piano lessons this year and have already begun composing melodies and lyrics of your own.

O, every morning I breathe a prayer that you will grow to be a man who fears the Lord, a man of courage and wisdom and humble confidence. At almost eleven years old, you are already growing into that man. I love life with you, Bud, and can't wait to see what the Lord does in your life this year.

Happy birthday, my almost eleven year old!

To My Almost 16 Year Old

 Claire-bear, you cannot imagine how surreal it felt for me to type out that title, because one day you were 7.0 lbs and taking in the world with what seemed like an impossible sense of understanding for a newborn...

And today you are the tallest person in our house, full of grace and beauty and still viewing the world with wisdom beyond your years.

When you were little, I prayed this verse over you - "He has told you, o man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?" And by the grace of God, that is, through the years, what has been planted and has grown and is unfolding before my eyes.

Do justice.

It has been amazing to watch your strong convictions, your sense of right and wrong, guide your decisions as a teenager. You have always been a black and white thinker, and when you see injustice you react so strongly against it. You're willing to fight for what is right, both for yourself and for others. You were such a strong-willed child, and though it made me tired at the time now I am so grateful for that.

Love mercy.

A few weeks ago you won an award from the Macon Area Tennis Association for Junior Player of the Year. After listing some of your recent accomplishments, your coach added these words as you received the award..."She is the hardest working player I have ever seen...but her most redeeming quality is her kindness towards other juniors who are not as talented as she is...and of course her exemplary sportsmanship."

Claire, I am so proud of your hard work and dedication in tennis. You have set major goals for yourself and have not taken any shortcuts. You have put your head down and done the work that it takes to be the best. But the thing I am most proud of is not your accomplishments on the court, but who you are both on and off the court. You are the one who sees an insecure kid at tennis drills and invites them to come hit with you, who sees a teammate struggling at basketball practice and runs extra laps with them so they don't have to finish alone. "A gracious woman attains honor," and that is what you are.

Walk humbly with your God.

I have spent the majority of the past few years (with increasing intensity) as an unpaid taxi driver, and I wouldn't trade it for the world because car conversations with you are often my favorite part of the day. It's one of my greatest joys to hear the maturity of faith coming out of your mouth as we process life together. I genuinely value your perspective; you are thoughtful and wise. Your walk with the Lord is not flashy but it is genuine. I have walked into your room more than once to see you asleep with your Bible laid out beside you. You hear the Word and you do it, and that is worth more than gold. 

When I wake up tomorrow, I will have a 16 year old for the first time in my life. What did I think that would be like, when I was young and you were in my arms and I was singing over you? I couldn't have known. I couldn't have guessed the humbling process of watching you grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men. I couldn't have predicted the deep joy of my daughter becoming my friend. 

I love you, am so very proud of who you are and who you are becoming, and am so very grateful to be along for the ride.

Happy birthday, my sweet almost 16 year old!

To My Almost 13 Year Old

 

Sweet Averi Kate. How is it that my little fairy child is going to wake up as a teenager tomorrow morning?

You've kept me laughing since you learned to talk twelve years ago. You are so witty, and the way you slip into different accents during everyday conversations just adds to the humor. Your favorite activity is ANYTHING as long as you can be with your friends. You are happiest when you are creating, and your worst fear is doing something "boring" or "meaningless."

You are so talented in countless ways. Your hands are incredible - the way you can crochet at lightning speed or take scraps of material lying around the house and turn them into something amazing. You are so skilled at playing the piano - the only trouble is slowing you down long enough to play what's actually on the page before your hands take over and start playing what your ear hears rather than what your eye sees. I hope you find deep joy in music over the years.

You love volleyball and soccer and acting. You argue almost every day that it is "pointless" to do Latin or math. You're wrong, but your persistence in this matter shows your heart to do things that really "matter." You love doing the important work of helping people and solving real life problems. You are still the official "finder" in our house whenever something goes missing. Your memory is sharp and your will is so strong.

When I look at you, I see a heart of kindness, a deep well of emotion, and a beacon of joy. I see a little fairy girl who has always marched to the beat of a different drum, becoming a young woman who is beautiful on the inside and the outside, who is a difference maker, who still leaves a little bit of "sparkle" and joy wherever she goes.

Aves, you are a delight. You are one of my most favorite gifts. Your name means "wise" and "pure", and I pray so earnestly that you will grow in wisdom and purity, in grace and knowledge of our Savior, and in confidence of who you are in Christ. I know you have big dreams and desires. Seek first His kingdom and He will give you exactly what you need.

I can hardly believe I am saying this, but...Happy birthday, my almost-thirteen-year-old!

To My Almost 10 Year Old

 Owen. I really like you at almost 10 years old.

You are one of the funniest people I know. You slide your quiet sarcasm and quick wit into conversations and leave me laughing every day. You can be wild and crazy with your friends but also treasure quiet time at home. You ask me every day to play football with you because I am the best quarterback in the county.

You are one of the most talented people I know. You can do anything you set your mind to. Tennis, baseball, basketball, golf...Your coaches always comment on your skill, coordination, and humble attitude. Or how about running 10 miles with your dad in honor of your tenth birthday? Yes, you did that too. 10 MILES. Buddy, you know that's not normal, right? And yet you acted like it was no big deal. That's you - hit a home run, make a crazy infield play, drive a golf ball 155 yards, go on a 10 mile run - and then walk off like nothing even happened.

You are one of the deepest people I know. You have a philosophical mind and a tender heart. You read poetry and write songs. You love to read about real stories - athletes, missionaries, historical leaders. I treasure your questions because I know they always come with much thought behind them.

You are one of the most sincere people I know. You are who you are and you don't pretend to be anyone but you. You love fishing and you hate watching sad movies. You make friends with old guys at sporting events. You wear a baseball jersey every day and you love picking which radio channel to listen to in the van.

Bud, you are a joy. I love watching you grow up and pray every day for you to be a man after God's own heart, strong and courageous and wise. I love watching you become who you are.

Happy birthday, my sweet almost 10 year old!

To My Almost 15 Year Old

Claire-bear, 15 seems too old and at the same time, just right.

What a year it has been for you. You've always been diligent, and your diligence paid off in a big way when you were chosen to receive a scholarship to train at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy in Mallorca, Spain, this past September. The thing that I savored the most was that all the coaches who worked with you saw, beyond even your talent and skill in tennis, a heart that exemplified the character they were trying to promote: effort, humility, respect, intensity, and discipline.

I thought maybe a trip to Spain would satisfy your heart, but instead I believe it lit a fire. You want to travel the world, to see and taste and experience the fulness of every moment. You love having a purpose, a goal, and throwing yourself into it with everything you have. You are courageous and bold and always up for an adventure, and I'm afraid you are going to leave me before I am ready for it.

Car conversations with you are my favorite. You are a good listener and full of wisdom. I love hearing your perspective on all matters. I love seeing your faith grow, watching you seek the Lord and His will for your life, hearing you wrestle through issues, watching you make thoughtful decisions.

You are a quiet leader, a loyal friend, a non-quitter. You broke your foot last December and still played three basketball games before we finally realized it was actually broken. You had mono this summer and still led your team to win the state junior team tennis championship before we realized that it was actually mono. I don't really know anyone else like you.

I know these next few years are going to fly by, but I am so deeply grateful for a front-seat view to watch you becoming who you are. Keep growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Keep trusting Him and acknowledging Him in all your ways. 

Happy birthday, my sweet almost-fifteen-year-old!!!