Another double-digit milestone has been reached. For our girls, the tenth birthday means pierced ears and a trip to Watertown for the day, and for Isabelle – possibly the girliest of our girls – this has been long-anticipated and the source of much excitement.

This past year has seen Isabelle spend a considerable amount of time developing her hair-styling skills.  She is on a never-ending quest to figure out the best way to curl her hair, and often heads to bed with her hair in makeshift curlers, or braids, or twisted little buns all over her head.  She even has a mannequin head to practice hairstyles on, much to the sometimes unease, sometimes humor of many other family members.

Isabelle is also, still, often by my side whenever I am doing anything in the kitchen.  She still asks endless questions, but most often the question is “can I?”…and so I have (somewhat hesitantly) tried to hand over more kitchen responsibilities.  She can pretty reliably make cookies, boxed mac and cheese, and pancakes, and has recently taken over the bread-baking.  The only reason this list isn’t a mile long is because I say no a lot, possibly more than I should, but I’m sure she will persist until she gets all the yeses she wants.

Both of these interests of Isabelle’s demonstrate her unrelenting nature, which is one of her most prominent character treats.  The girl is mostly unflappable.  If she wants to do something, she figures out a way to make it happen, usually by sheer force of will.   And she is extremely capable, and not easily discouraged, if her first efforts don’t succeed.

In school, Isabelle has a definite bent toward math and science.  She tends to loathe anything related to language arts – grammar, capitalization, punctuation, reading comprehension, writing – as all have yet to prove their usefulness to her, and as such, garner little effort from her.  She has started to enjoy reading more, and being read to, though, so I am hopeful that the other understanding will come in time.

Isabelle is learning piano, and loves riding her bike, and making jewelry.  She is quick to help anyone in need, and has a very nurturing disposition.  It’s not unusual to find Isabelle doing part of a sibling’s chores, or waiting on someone when they’re sick, or giving hugs when someone is sad or discouraged.  She still has the biggest smile and the best giggle and the most expressive eyes.  She is quick to offer words of encouragement, and loves to be around people.

We love the precious, beautiful, smart, sincere, kind-hearted girl that Isabelle is.  She is a treasure for which we are so very thankful.  We love her immeasurably and are privileged to call her our own and to celebrate her ten years today.

These birthdays of my littlest kiddo strike me differently. He’s my baby, and now he’s seven. Seven. Time flies, and more than ever, I wish it would slow down a little.  Those little boy hugs, with arms wrapped around my neck grow more precious with each day that passes, yet still, somehow days can pass without me taking much note of just how much this boy of mine is growing and learning.

Lucas, as he as ever been, remains the tornado that tears through our house each day.  I know that can sound negative – and maybe tornado is the wrong word – but though he does leave a certain amount of destruction in his wake, much of it is borne out of his desire to be productive.  He is constantly building with LEGO, or cardboard and tape, or even just paper.  He fixes loose screws and hammers down old nails that still stick up in our old wood floors.  He makes plans for menus, and writes “books”, and changes batteries in anything that might (or might not) need it.

He loves to play games and to be outside, and is on a fairly constant quest to compel a sibling or two to join him in one endeavor or the other.  He has taught himself “tricks” on his bicycle, which include standing on the seat, among other things…which is quite possibly why he is somewhat apprehensive about the possibility of scraping his knees, and insists on wearing pants even in the warmest of weather, so that his legs are protected.

With all of this busy-ness, obviously there is little time for school, in his eyes.  BUT, many days now, he accepts it as a necessary bump in the road.  While there are still too many fits about math and reading comprehension, most of these end up being the result of his tendency to discourage easily.  Some days, he’s convinced that subtraction is just too hard and impossible to learn (other days, he races through it with flying colors), which, not surprisingly, is also how he responds to cleaning his room, or any other chore that he doesn’t feel like he has time for.  He is improving, though, which is what matters.

And the biggest thing this year was Lucas’s decision to ask Jesus to be his Savior.  Though only six, he didn’t do so flippantly.  He thought through it over many weeks before deciding, and I’ve seen in the months since how God is working in his heart and mind.  He listens during our family devotion times and makes connections to verses he knows, or Bible stories he has read on his own.  He loves to pray, and demonstrates compassion and thoughtfulness as he does so.

Lucas is sweet and goofy and quick-witted and sensitive and strong and determined.  He gives butterfly kisses and still wants to be held during worship at church.  He is full of curiosity and energy and persistence.  There is always a little mischief in his eyes, but beyond-his-years comprehension of many things, too.  I am so thankful for this little kiddo and I love him with my whole heart.