Happy 7th birthday to my sweet seven year old! How in the world you are SEVEN is beyond me, but in spite of my insistence that you stop growing, you keep getting bigger, and bigger, and BIGGER.
This year has been a pretty fun, and memorable year for you. On your 6th birthday, you got a bike, which you have now mastered riding. Just a couple weeks ago, you tentatively asked me if you could ride your bike down ‘the big hill.’ You usually only want to ride your Big Wheel down the hill, but I could tell you were asking me while also asking yourself if you were brave enough. I said yes (I really, really wanted to say no), and walked with you.
I saw you hesitate, just for a second or two, before you got that determined look on your face and began pedaling towards the hill. Pedaling towards your fear. You nailed it. You nailed it because you are brave, and now you are seven.
You started FIRST GRADE with Mrs. Stevenson, and you love it (and her)! You have a lot of friends at school, and are learning a lot. You are also in the Magnet program at school, with Mrs. Swartzlander, where you do extra work, but you always tell me how much fun you had, so I know you are enjoying it.
You went to summer camp for the first time this year! Daddy got to go with you, so I wasn’t quite as nervous about it – but I still missed you a LOT. You did really well, and you are already asking when you can go do it again.
You are still in the Royal Rangers program at church, which you are excelling at. I’m always so proud when you have your Royal Rangers ceremony at church, and you can recite your pledges and your Bible verses, and you do it so well!
You have a lot of friends, who are too numerous to list. You have friends at both school and church, and you like playing with our next door neighbors too. Since you are getting older, we’ve been giving you more freedom, like playing outside by yourself, which so far you are handling well.
You started taking piano lessons this year! Mr. Jonathan teaches you about every other week, and I’m really proud of how hard you work and how much you have already learned.
You are (mostly) a great big brother to your little sister, Marella. Of course, you fight, like all siblings do, but when she is hurt or sad, you are the first one to go running to her to make sure she is OK.
This year we have made three trips to Shriner’s Hospital in Lexington, two to evaluate your sister’s foot, and one to get her an orthotic. You love the hotel that we stay in, but you always love hotels. We also went to PA twice and got to stay in a hotel, with Pop-Pop and Nana, and with Aunt Millie and Uncle Al. I love what a great traveler you are, and I love how you love all our friends and relatives in PA. Even though we didn’t get to stay with Aunt Dawn and Uncle Mike this time, you still ADORE them both. You are also pretty fond of Hunter and his girlfriend, Amanda (AKA your BFF).
(We won’t talk about our second trip at Thanksgiving, when you got sick, and couldn’t swim. I felt really sad for you, but was still so proud of how brave you were, even though you were so disappointed.)
Of course, you love your family here: Oma, Poppy, Gran Jan, Aunt Tracy, Daniel and Grace, as well as your “grown-up friends,” as we call them.
We got to make one trip to Gran Jan’s condo in Florida, which you ALWAYS enjoy. You’re such a great swimmer now, that taking you places where we get to be in the water is always fun.
This year you graduated to being in Big Church (as we call it) for part of the service. I’ll admit, I get teary-eyed every week when we take Communion together. God has big plans for you, sweet boy.
Reagan, I am so, so, so proud of the young man you are becoming. I’ve really seen you grow and mature this year. As much as I give you a hard time about growing up too fast (some days you really do seem like you’re 12), I’m so grateful that I get to be your Mommy, and that I get a front-row look at your life.
Remember to always, always, always trust Jesus. He’s never going to leave you. He’s always going to love you. You are His delight. His joy. His masterpiece.
I love you, sweet boy. Happy 7th birthday. I can’t wait to see what this year brings.
