Yesterday was our Buddy’s birthday.

He is tall and strong and articulate.

When I’m reading aloud to the kids, he often interrupts to ask what words mean.

His volume is naturally very loud.

He is very easily distracted, but can do most tasks exceptionally well if he really applies himself.

He likes to style his hair in the morning, and insists on tucking in his shirts and wearing his socks pulled up as high as they’ll go…and he doesn’t care if someone thinks he looks like a dork, ’cause he likes how he looks.

He told us this year, just matter-of-factly as we were talking to him about receiving Jesus as Savior, that he has already believed in Jesus as his Lord.  And we asked him questions to find out if he really understood what it meant, and he did.  No wrestling or angst, just a calm decisiveness.

He still gives me hugs often…usually when he notices that I’m bummed about something and without a word just wraps his arms around me.

He loves baseball, and animals, and the “color” black.

He’s just seven, and he has areas that we’re working on, and there are times when I still need to remind myself to no expect as much from him as from the older kids, but he is growing and learning and contributing more and more to the daily running of things.  He is precious and smart and capable and funny and so many intangible things that make my heart full, and inexpressibly grateful to have him as my son.

I love this kid.  So much.