There have been a few goodbyes this year... mainly the goodbye to diapers! I appreciate that one more than you know! You were a breeze to potty-train, but I don't know why I expected anything less. You said goodbye to bottles, formula, and baby beds like a champ when you were a baby! This year you said goodbye to your first dog... and there is rarely a week when you don't ask about Baka and why she's gone. It seems you can't get her off of your mind even though she is not talked about! You also said goodbye to your first house. Unlike the loss of our dog, you have not mentioned our old house once since moving. It seems you have your priorities in order... understanding that our relationships (even if they are with four-legged friends) are lasting and worth mulling over, but material things are fleeting and need no second thought!
But all those goodbyes brought some pretty great new things your way! First, you have a "new house." Okay--- it's an apartment, but that's what you call it. And I'm not exaggerating that you love it! For the first few weeks, you cried every time we left it! And after almost three months of living here, you still adoringly refer to it as your "new house!" You were also introduced to another new home when you went on your first sleepover... and with a girl no less! In your book of friends, there is none closer than Maggie Brooke, and it was fitting that your mommas finally gave in and let you have a slumber party! Among many other things, you found a love for water and swimming, rode an elephant, developed quite a vocabulary, and won our hearts for the millionth time!
Your daddy and I pray for you daily (both of you for that matter.) We pray that above all the things you have to say goodbye to and all the things that you welcome in to your life that you fill your God-shaped hole with Him and only Him. We want nothing more than to cultivate a life that will lead you straight to a relationship with God! You and Jack are both miracles to us, and we take our responsibility of guiding you very seriously! I hope that your next year of life is more joyous than any before! We love you to the moon and back!
As you embark on your next journey, here's a little advice from your momma. Get used to it- I have lots more where this came from!
1. Smile and laugh a lot! Some days you'll be center stage, but when you find yourself off to the side of the action, smile for others! I promise you... your smile is enough to light up a room no matter where you stand!
2. When you can't find anything to smile about and the world seems hopeless, take a deep breath. Reevaluate the situation and give it all you've got. Rest in the fact that God will never give you more than you can handle.
3. Know the difference between things that matter and things that don't. Don't be afraid to blow off the things that have no eternal value!
4. Things will not always go your way! Learn that early!!! And when you don't like the outcome, feel free to cry and fall apart, but do it quickly.
5. But when the let down is over, pick your self up, put on your big boy underwear, and fight for the things that are valuable to you!
6. Savor the good days and make lots of memories! They are the moments that will carry you through the bad days!
7. Work hard and get dirty! Life is not about handouts. If you want it, work for it!
8. When things seem unclear and you don't know what to do, pray. I know that sounds cliche, but it works. Trust your momma on this one! You're living proof!
9. You can't have your cake and eat it, too. What's that mean? It means you'll have tough choices in life. You have to discern when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. But you can't have it both ways! Choose wisely!
10. Let your light shine! You're a special little guy, and you have a ton of great qualities. Show them to the world, but use them to make a difference! No one likes a show-off so use them to bless others!
Happy 3rd Birthday, Max! You are loved.
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