Eight!

My dear Sethy, you are a big eight-year-old today! How you amaze me, my peace maker, my "hugary" sweet boy :). I think you are right when you told me that "hugs are good! They are what keeps you alive!" I love that :). I love your sharing heart... that you when you get a prize or treat, you save some for your siblings. I love your unparalleled ability to climb any tree with confidence and agility. I love how you live life with wreckless abandon :). I love how you have the gift to make others laugh. I love watching you with little ones -- your gentle care and patience with each one of your cousins and your friends' siblings. I love the depth you see in God's Word... even at this young age.

I treasure the gift that God gave to me in you. I am grateful that God placed in your heart to be so sensitive to needs around you and selflessly desire the best for others! I know that I can always count on you to run over to me at school and greet me with a hug (even when you are in the middle of an intense tether ball game)! I wonder how long before you think it's uncool to hug your mother in public... I hope not for a long long time!

New BIG BOY bike!

Nothing like getting present and being able to play with it IMMEDIATELY!!!

My favorite Seth, you challenge me to be better :) May God continue to grow you into a young man that desires to live for Him and to shine brightly for His glory and your good!

I love you, Sethy Bananna! Happy Birthday!!!

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We had a little extra excitement for Seth's birthday this year. RAIN (and hail and stuff)!!!

Seth told me that he is going swimming...

We got home from school on Tuesday afternoon and most of our downstairs was covered with puddles of water... half of the carpet in our family room was squishy soaking wet :( We were thankful that we didn't have mud coming down the slops (like at Mom and Dad's house), but we were having a birthday party here in two days (Seth's birthday was on an AWANA Night, so he said we can celebrate a day later)!!! No problem, I thought. I will get someone here to suck up the water and dry the carpet and lay it back down IMMEDIATELY and we are good to go. Well... not so much. I didn't take into consideration that our house was going to be unbearably stinky (especially to Bethany's pregnant nose) and that the carpet nails will be sticking up (looking for little tender Rebekah Jane and Ezekiel hands and feet to grab and tear up!!!). So... Mom offered PLAN B :). Thank you, Mom and Dad, for hosting Seth's birthday breakfast dinner at your house! Thank you, Family, for spoiling Seth with all the love (and presents)!!!

Happy Birthday, Seth!!!

I hope you really wanted the Pineapple Upside Down Cake that you requested...