four

happy birthday maxwell alan!

you are four, four years old max! you my son are worthy of celebration!

i praise jesus for blessing me with you as my son.

i rejoice in the lord for the gift you are to my life max. i cannot get enough of your presence. when you nap to long or are gone from me for even a short time i anxiously await getting one of your huge hugs and tight squeezes.

you are an awesome big brother. jesus gave you a caring spirit, a nature that tends towards encouragement, support, and helpfulness. both your brother and your sister adore you, and you delight in making ayla smile and teaching weston all you know. your best buddy, bear, is the recipient of such good times and great gifts. on your birthday, you would let bear have parts of your presentsi n order to ensure bear feels included and gets to have a part in the playtime.

max, you are growing and developing so quickly. it is a joy to witness you begin to recognize some letters, count in sequence, and figure out how things work. we occasionally get the opportunity to work on these things, just you and me, when the younger two are napping. i love having that special time with you.

maxer, you behave so well. you listen and obey most all the time. last week, we had to give you a little bit of vinegar in your mouth when you talked back to daddy. you were broken about that discipline. it tasted yucky, but your heart was absolutely hurt. you whimpered and trembled the rest of the evening. now when we mention that possibility you immediately apologize and change your behaviour.

daddy and i love you more than we can even comprehend. you are an absolute joy and every day with you is a true gift. it is our desire maxwell, that you will come to know that "this god is our god for ever and ever he will be our god even onto death" and begin your eternal relationship with jesus christ, following the example daddy and i strive to set before you. psalm 48:14

jesus, may we be worthy of the calling you have set before us in raising this beautiful boy to know you and make you known.