Tuesday, July 21, 2015

- twelve -

 in no particular order,
what I love about you...

1.  the way you read to Isaac every night.  you do all the voices.  you can make any book exciting, and you do.  this is a practice that he will always remember.  it started at his earliest memories and is meaningful.  sometimes i listen at the door.  i'll always remember it too.

2.  telling me about funny comics.  i don't understand the fascination with them nor do i understand how to read them but i love it when you share them with me.  it's a mystery to see you light up.

3.  writing stories.  you are filled with imagination and creativity and uniquely the ability to communicate through written word.  you always like words. 

4.  your ability to be completely lost in a book,  in a crowd.

5.  patience. endurance with siblings, especially little brother.

6.  the quiet and private way you bravely soldier through disappointment or pain.  you are becoming a man.

7.  the way you love board games as much as their newer clone- the electronic version

8.  determination and vision you display in lego creations- hours worth of it.

9.  responsibility and maturity- we can leave the others home with you knowing you will carefully and thoughtfully obey orders and lead and serve respectfully.  one time we were gone for several hours (not the norm) and i called to check in since i hadn't received any texts or calls to find out that everyone was drawing or playing with legos because you had determined that the movie should be turned off since "we have had enough screen time"

10.  intensely inquisitive.  "my first dictionary" was your favorite book at age two, after all.  you will stop abruptly (or stop the reader of a read-a-loud) to find out the meaning if theres ever a word you don't know or something you don't understand.  

11.  spiritual growth.  for several years you have faithfully read a chapter of the Bible at night before going to sleep.  most recently you came to talk to us about baptism and have decided to take that step of obedience in making your faith public.  we have been waiting for that. 

12.  you still want to be a marine biologist when you grow up.  you have fed my fears of sharks over the years with all of your reading and underwater trivia.  thanks for that.  


Happy 12th Birthday, Jonas Riley.  We love you!

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